Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary in San Francisco, CA
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a median $239,200+ a year — 61% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $226,477 take-home, or $18,873 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary in San Francisco, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$94,272
- Social Security (6.2%)$11,439
- Medicare (1.45%)$7,005
- California income tax$30,616
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$4,871
- Take-home pay$226,477
Marginal rate: 35% federal + 9.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay by experience in San Francisco, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $187,960 | $90.37 | $124,257 | $10,355 |
| 25th percentile | $205,140 | $98.63 | $135,197 | $11,266 |
| Median (50th) | $374,680+ | $180.13 | $226,477 | $18,873 |
| 75th percentile | $398,870+ | $191.76 | $238,850 | $19,904 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $598,960+ | $287.96 | $339,519 | $28,293 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $239,200+ buys in San Francisco, CA
Prices in San Francisco, CA are 15.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.95× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers's $226,477 take-home pay has the buying power of $195,893 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
San Francisco, CA has 1.8× the national concentration of airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, adjusted for cost of living
San Francisco, CA ranks #4 of 13 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta, GA | $239,200+ | $383,004 | $382,782 |
| 2 | Cincinnati, OH | $239,200+ | $238,228 | $249,794 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $239,200+ | $219,995 | $223,053 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $239,200+ | $226,477 | $195,893 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $239,200+ | $207,048 | $195,731 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $239,200+ | $221,298 | $194,863 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $239,200+ | $217,470 | $193,198 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $239,200+ | $196,715 | $189,889 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 13 metros →
About the job: airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +8.3% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers salaries elsewhere in California
- Los Angeles, CA — $239,200+
Frequently asked questions
How much does a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in San Francisco, CA?
The median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $239,200+ a year, or about $180.13 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $205,140 and $239,200+.
What is a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers’s take-home pay in San Francisco, CA?
On the median $239,200+ salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $226,477 a year ($18,873 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $35,486 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Francisco, CA a good place to work as a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
Pay here is 61% above the national median of $232,140. Local prices are 15.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $195,893 would in a typical U.S. city. San Francisco, CA ranks #4 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers afford rent in San Francisco, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Francisco, CA is $2,620 a month ($3,187 for two bedrooms) — 14% of a median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Francisco, CA
- Flight Attendant — $89,430
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity — $78,900
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $73,950
- Bus Drivers, School — $73,680
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $66,450
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $59,240
- Light Truck Driver — $50,820
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $48,400
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $48,370
- Stocker and Order Filler — $45,130
- Parking Attendant — $44,480
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $44,350