Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is $374,680/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $188K at the entry level to $599K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 115.61), so that salary is closer to $324,090 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $3,604/month, or 17.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $375K get you in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont’s Regional Price Parity (115.61). 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont sits well above the national pay line for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, local pay runs about 61% higher than the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $3,604/month, 18.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 16% above the national average (BEA RPP 115.61), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $365K | $321K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $322K | $288K |
| 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $188K. Mid-career wages sit at $375K. Top earners bring in $599K or more, a $411K 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 |
| Tennessee | $144K | -38% | 110 |
| South Carolina | $144K | -38% | 110 |
| Mississippi | $144K | -38% | 360 |
| Kansas | $144K | -38% | 80 |
| 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
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Yes — at the median salary of $375K, rent takes 18.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,604/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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $188K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $11,278/month. At HUD’s $3,604/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Local pay is 61% above the national median — $375K here vs. $232K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 16% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays $375K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s +61%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 115.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $324K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The median is $374,680 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $187,960, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $598,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $375K enough to live in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $19,178/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,604/month, which eats 18.8% 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has a Regional Price Parity of 115.61 (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 $324,090 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.