Commercial Pilots Salary in California
State wage data from the BLS OEWS survey, May 2025.
Median annual
$165,590
Median hourly
$80
Average annual
$202,040
Employed in state
4.9K
The median annual salary for Commercial Pilots in California is $165,590, or about $80 an hour. That is 34% higher than the national median.
Pay in California ranges from $63,890 at the 10th percentile to $500,170 at the 90th percentile. Roughly 4.9K people work as commercial pilots in the state.
Pay distribution in California
10th$63,890
25th$85,020
Median$165,590
75th$278,940
90th$500,170
Salary calculator
- Hourly
- $79.61
- Daily
- $637
- Weekly
- $3,184
- Bi-weekly
- $6,369
- Monthly
- $13,799
- Annual
- $165,590
$165,590 a year is around the 50th percentile for Commercial Pilotss in California. The median is $165,590.
Commercial Pilots pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $274,730 | 130 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $173,070 | 380 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $159,420 | 200 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $149,200 | 60 |
| Modesto, CA | $140,920 | 50 |
| Redding, CA | $135,340 | 50 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $128,080 | 370 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $124,570 | 190 |
| Chico, CA | $123,880 | 40 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $119,400 | 120 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $115,450 | 40 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $112,320 | 250 |
| Fresno, CA | $112,000 | 80 |
| Salinas, CA | $102,580 | 30 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $102,300 | 150 |
Other jobs in California
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Cashiers$32,880
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- General and Operations Managers$105,770
- Software Developers$135,980
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
- Waiters and Waitresses$35,230
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Security Guards$38,020
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990