Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| California | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $353,900 | $294,133 | +20% |
| Median hourly wage | $170.14 | $141.41 | +20% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $319,693.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Airline Pilot in California is $353,900, or about $170.14 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Airline Pilots is $294,133. California is +20% above the national median.
Entry-level airline pilots in California typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 10,670 airline pilot jobs on record and a median salary of $353,900, California offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, airline pilots rank 3 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 100% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Commercial Pilots at $165,590, Air Traffic Controllers at $160,080, Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels at $110,090 — all figures are median annual wages for California.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, airline pilots rank 3 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 100% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in California | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pilots | $165,590 | $4,900 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | $160,080 | $2,290 |
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | $110,090 | $2,420 |
| Ship Engineers | $97,660 | $610 |
| Transportation Inspectors | $83,000 | $1,790 |
| Flight Attendants | $82,170 | $15,840 |
California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 793 occupations in California.