Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in California is $353,900/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $179K at the entry level to $428K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $333,428 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,471/month, or 12.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $354K get you in California?
About airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, local pay runs about 52% higher than the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,471/month, 13.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, California offers a genuinely strong financial position for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $179K. Mid-career wages sit at $354K. Top earners bring in $428K or more, a $248K spread from bottom to top.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary by metro in California
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $375K | +6% | 2,900 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $365K | +3% | 6,710 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $343K | -3% | 50 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $322K | -9% | 340 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $207K | -42% | 160 |
| Fresno | $195K | -45% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
Yes — at the median salary of $354K, rent takes 13.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $179K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $10,756/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 52% above the national median — $354K here vs. $232K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
California pays $354K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s +52%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $333K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in California?
The median is $353,900 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $179,270, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $427,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $354K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $18,271/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 13.5% 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 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary is worth about $333,428 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.