Commercial Pilots salary · California
Commercial Pilots Salary in California
Commercial Pilots in California earn a median of $165,590 a year, which is Not published an hour. That is $42,370 above the national median of $123,220, a difference of 34 percent. The state employs 4,900.
California against the US May 2025
| Figure | California | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $165,590 | $123,220 |
| Median hourly | Not published | Not published |
| Mean annual | $202,040 | $146,080 |
| 10th percentile | $63,890 | $58,850 |
| 90th percentile | $500,170 | $266,620 |
| Employment | 4,900 | 47,630 |
How California compares
By median pay, California ranks 1 of the 12 states this site reports for commercial pilots. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.
Other states for commercial pilots May 2025
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $150,330 | Not published | 2,680 |
| Colorado | $139,680 | Not published | 1,240 |
| Texas | $137,960 | Not published | 4,120 |
| Wisconsin | $129,860 | Not published | 1,090 |
| North Carolina | $127,310 | Not published | 1,520 |
| Michigan | $126,670 | Not published | 1,390 |
| Illinois | $126,100 | Not published | 1,170 |
| Florida | $121,890 | Not published | 6,340 |
| Nevada | $105,340 | Not published | 1,100 |
| Virginia | $104,890 | Not published | 1,130 |
| Arizona | $103,060 | Not published | 1,540 |
Common questions
How much do commercial pilots make in California?
The median salary for commercial pilots in California is $165,590 a year, or Not published an hour. That is $42,370 above the national median of $123,220, a difference of 34 percent. California employs 4,900 of them.
Is California a good state to work as a commercial pilot?
On pay alone, California ranks 1 of the 12 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.
What is the pay range for commercial pilots in California?
The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $63,890 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $500,170 or more. The middle half falls between $85,020 and $278,940.
Where these numbers come from
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 53-2012 in California. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national commercial pilots salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.