How much does a captain make in San Francisco?
$124,600a year
Median yearly pay for captains in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area. That is $59.91 an hour or $10,380 a month.
- Hourly
- $59.91
- Vs. national median
- +35%
- Rank among cities
- 3 of 75
- Jobs in the area
- 440
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $64,120Median: $124,600Highest 10%: $197,400
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,120 | $30.83 | |
| 25th | $85,030 | $40.88 | |
| Median | $124,600 | $59.91 | |
| 75th | $130,400 | $62.70 | |
| 90th | $197,400 | $94.89 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for captains.
| Los Angeles, CA | $113,300 |
| Oxnard, CA | $80,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $78,380 |
| San Diego, CA | $76,490 |
Related jobs in San Francisco
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Airline Pilot | $374,700 |
| Air Traffic Controller | $193,400 |
| Commercial Pilot | $173,100 |
| 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 a captain make an hour in San Francisco?
The median hourly pay in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $59.91 ($124,600 a year).
Do captains make more in San Francisco than the national average?
Yes: $124,600 against $92,460 nationally, 35% more.
How does San Francisco compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $110,100, so San Francisco pays 13% more.
Where does San Francisco rank for captain pay?
3 of 75 metro areas with data.
How much does a captain make starting out in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% make $64,120 or less a year; the top 10% make $197,400 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.