Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Iowa | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $131,730 | $294,133 | -55% |
| Median hourly wage | $63.33 | $141.41 | -55% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $150,034.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Airline Pilot in Iowa is $131,730, or about $63.33 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Airline Pilots is $294,133. Iowa is -55% below the national median.
Entry-level airline pilots in Iowa typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 100 airline pilot jobs on record and a median salary of $131,730, Iowa offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, airline pilots rank 30 of the 711 occupations reported in Iowa — higher than 96% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Transportation Inspectors at $116,850, Commercial Pilots at $101,800, Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels at $97,700 — all figures are median annual wages for Iowa.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Iowa levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 90.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, airline pilots rank 30 of the 711 occupations reported in Iowa — higher than 96% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Iowa | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation Inspectors | $116,850 | $60 |
| Commercial Pilots | $101,800 | $300 |
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | $97,700 | $80 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | $90,790 | $120 |
| Locomotive Engineers | $89,970 | $1,000 |
| Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | $80,910 | $220 |
Iowa levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 90.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 711 occupations in Iowa.