Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary in California
The mean pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in California is $321,460/year, per BLS data. Entry-level positions start around $127K. BLS does not publish top-end wages for this occupation because they exceed the reportable ceiling. BLS does not publish the median for this occupation because wages exceed the reportable ceiling. The figure shown is the mean (average).
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Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Bar chart showing Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary percentiles in California: 10th percentile $127,230, 25th percentile $195,730, median $321,460, 75th percentile $0, 90th percentile N/A. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $127K. Mid-career wages sit at $321K. Top earners bring in N/A or more.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in California?▼
BLS reports a mean (average) wage of $321,460 a year for this occupation in California. The median is not published because wages exceed the BLS reportable ceiling. Entry-level workers start around $127,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $321K enough to live in California?▼
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $16,829/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 14.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary go in California?▼
California has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary is worth about $302,864 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers get paid the most?▼
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
