Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad Metro

BLS metro-level wage data places Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA at a median of $321,950 per year, drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared with the national median of $232,140, the metro estimate is +39% above. OEWS reports the difference but does not identify its cause. Approximately 340 airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers are employed across the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA in SOC 53-2011.

The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pay distribution spans from $166,420 at the 10th percentile to $388,790 at the 90th, a 2.3× observed spread. Differences in specialization, employer, sector, location, credentials, schedule, and experience may all contribute, but OEWS does not isolate their effects. The 25th percentile sits at $197,970 and the 75th at $349,300, so half of San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad-based airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers earn within that middle band.

Metro figures use establishment work location, not worker residence. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. OEWS includes straight-time pay, tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer health and retirement benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, signing bonuses, and other nonproduction bonuses. The same occupation's national profile, statewide CA estimate, and peer-metro rows provide distinct geographic comparisons. A published median is a benchmark, not a prediction or ceiling for one worker.