Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $321,950/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $166K at the entry level to $389K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $287,738 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $3,001/month, or 16.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $322K get you in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.89). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad sits well above the national pay line for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, local pay runs about 39% higher than the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $3,001/month, 17.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.89), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad offers a genuinely strong financial position for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in metros near San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $365K | $321K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $375K | $324K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $207K | $194K |
| Fresno | $195K | $191K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $166K. Mid-career wages sit at $322K. Top earners bring in $389K or more, a $222K spread from bottom to top.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $618K | +166% | 8,770 |
| Idaho | $508K | +119% | 330 |
| Michigan | $429K | +85% | N/A |
| California | $354K | +52% | 10,670 |
| Kentucky | $351K | +51% | 6,260 |
| Colorado | $307K | +32% | 5,830 |
| Illinois | $293K | +26% | 6,460 |
| New York | $255K | +10% | 6,900 |
| Alaska | $232K | +0% | 1,350 |
| Washington | $230K | -1% | 3,450 |
| Arizona | $228K | -2% | 2,200 |
| Florida | $225K | -3% | 7,760 |
| Texas | $215K | -7% | 10,930 |
| Minnesota | $211K | -9% | 2,960 |
| Ohio | $204K | -12% | 1,550 |
| Connecticut | $200K | -14% | 80 |
| Nevada | $192K | -17% | 2,160 |
| Utah | $175K | -25% | 1,880 |
| Oregon | $173K | -25% | 750 |
| Indiana | $171K | -26% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $169K | -27% | 250 |
| Pennsylvania | $165K | -29% | 2,270 |
| Rhode Island | $165K | -29% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $152K | -35% | 2,240 |
| Maine | $148K | -36% | 40 |
| Mississippi | $144K | -38% | 360 |
| Kansas | $144K | -38% | 80 |
| South Carolina | $144K | -38% | 110 |
| Tennessee | $144K | -38% | 110 |
| New Mexico | $137K | -41% | 50 |
| Alabama | $137K | -41% | 360 |
| Oklahoma | $134K | -42% | 180 |
| Iowa | $132K | -43% | 100 |
| Nebraska | $132K | -43% | 60 |
| Louisiana | $121K | -48% | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $99K | -57% | 50 |
| Missouri | $98K | -58% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Yes — at the median salary of $322K, rent takes 17.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $166K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $9,985/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Local pay is 39% above the national median — $322K here vs. $232K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 12% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $322K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s +39%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $288K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $321,950 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $166,420, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $388,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $322K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $16,851/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 17.8% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 111.89 (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 $287,738 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.