Money · 1 of 4
Read this range carefully
Median, commercial pilots
$123,220
Bottom tenth
$58,850
Top tenth
$266,620
The national median here is $123,220 a year, the bottom tenth earn $58,850 or less and the top tenth $266,620 or more, in the 2025 federal wage survey, but those are figures for commercial pilots, and there is no separate national wage line for drone pilots. That occupation is mostly people flying crewed charters, air tours and air ambulances. The federal occupation description does include operating large drones commercially, which is why drone work is counted here, but somebody who only flies small drones should not expect these figures to apply to them. The demand rating on this page is also the commercial pilots rating.