How much does an airline pilot make in San Francisco?
$374,700a year
Median yearly pay for airline pilots in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area. That is $180.13 an hour or $31,220 a month.
- Hourly
- $180.13
- Vs. national median
- +61%
- Rank among cities
- 4 of 46
- Jobs in the area
- 2,900
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $188,000Median: $374,700Highest 10%: $599,000
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $188,000 | $90.37 | |
| 25th | $205,100 | $98.63 | |
| Median | $374,700 | $180.13 | |
| 75th | $398,900 | $191.76 | |
| 90th | $599,000 | $287.96 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for airline pilots.
| Los Angeles, CA | $364,700 |
| San Jose, CA | $343,100 |
| San Diego, CA | $322,000 |
| Riverside, CA | $207,000 |
| Fresno, CA | $195,300 |
Related jobs in San Francisco
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Air Traffic Controller | $193,400 |
| Commercial Pilot | $173,100 |
| Captain | $124,600 |
| Ship Engineer | $108,800 |
| Transportation Inspector | $104,100 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $98,410 |
| Traffic Technician | $92,710 |
| Flight Attendant | $89,430 |
| Airfield Operations Specialist | $85,680 |
| Bus Driver | $78,900 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an airline pilot make an hour in San Francisco?
The median hourly pay in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $180.13 ($374,700 a year).
Do airline pilots make more in San Francisco than the national average?
Yes: $374,700 against $232,100 nationally, 61% more.
How does San Francisco compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $353,900, so San Francisco pays 6% more.
Where does San Francisco rank for airline pilot pay?
4 of 46 metro areas with data.
How much does an airline pilot make starting out in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% make $188,000 or less a year; the top 10% make $599,000 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.