How much does a commercial pilot make in San Diego?
$128,100a year
Median yearly pay for commercial pilots in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $61.58 an hour or $10,670 a month.
- Hourly
- $61.58
- Vs. national median
- +4%
- Rank among cities
- 61 of 157
- Jobs in the area
- 370
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $64,710Median: $128,100Highest 10%: $285,400
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,710 | $31.11 | |
| 25th | $82,050 | $39.45 | |
| Median | $128,100 | $61.58 | |
| 75th | $211,900 | $101.86 | |
| 90th | $285,400 | $137.21 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for commercial pilots.
| Santa Rosa, CA | $274,700 |
| San Francisco, CA | $173,100 |
| San Jose, CA | $159,400 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $149,200 |
| Modesto, CA | $140,900 |
| Redding, CA | $135,300 |
| Sacramento, CA | $124,600 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $119,400 |
| Riverside, CA | $112,300 |
| Fresno, CA | $112,000 |
| Oxnard, CA | $102,300 |
Related jobs in San Diego
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Airline Pilot | $322,000 |
| Ship Engineer | $85,310 |
| Traffic Technician | $85,100 |
| Transportation Inspector | $83,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $79,720 |
| Captain | $76,490 |
| Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor | $74,590 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $69,300 |
| Airfield Operations Specialist | $63,550 |
| Bus Driver | $61,290 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a commercial pilot make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $61.58 ($128,100 a year).
Do commercial pilots make more in San Diego than the national average?
Yes: $128,100 against $123,200 nationally, 4% more.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $165,600, so San Diego pays 23% less.
Where does San Diego rank for commercial pilot pay?
61 of 157 metro areas with data.
How much does a commercial pilot make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $64,710 or less a year; the top 10% make $285,400 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.