Instructor Pilot Salaries in California
How Much Does an Instructor Pilot Make in California?
Updated April 01, 2025
As of April 01, 2025,
the average annual pay of Instructor Pilot in California is $185,161.
While Salary.com is seeing that Instructor Pilot salary in CA can go up to $253,465
or down to $135,528, but most earn between $159,181 and $220,914.
Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors,
including education, certifications, additional skills, and your experience levels.
With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Related Job Titles to Instructor Pilot
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Similar Job Salaries to Instructor Pilot by Company
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| Company | average base salary in (usd) | range |
|---|---|---|
|
Jobot
MH60R Instructor Pilot
|
$146,076/yr
|
RANGE: $131,140 - $161,012
|
|
DELAWARE RESOURCE GROUP OF OKLAHOMA
F35 INSTRUCTOR PILOT MCAS Miramar
|
$82,862/yr
|
RANGE: $72,243 - $93,481
|
|
$79,881/yr
|
RANGE: $71,048 - $88,714
|
|
|
Cutter Aviation, Inc.
Pilot
|
$161,507/yr
|
RANGE: $147,986 - $175,027
|
|
CAE
EMB-505 Instructor Pilot
|
$147,240/yr
|
RANGE: $131,549 - $162,932
|
|
CAE
EMB-505 Instructor Pilot-EN
|
$132,027/yr
|
RANGE: $117,951 - $146,102
|
|
Crawford Thomas Recruiting
Instructor Pilot AH64 Echo
|
$124,520/yr
|
RANGE: $111,048 - $137,992
|
|
HII
F-16 MTT Instructor Pilot
|
$103,169/yr
|
RANGE: $92,793 - $113,546
|
|
Cymstar Services LLC
Pilot Instructor - Lackland
|
$135,506/yr
|
RANGE: $120,846 - $150,167
|
|
Orbital Engineering, Inc.
Senior UAS Pilot/Instructor
|
$131,338/yr
|
RANGE: $121,443 - $141,233
|
Top 10 Highest Paying Cities For Instructor Pilot Jobs in California
It is important to understand how location impacts your career prospects in the United States.
There are some cities where an Instructor Pilot can find a job easily with a greater salary paid then achieve a higher standard of living.
Below is the top cities list for Instructor Pilot job salaries in California.
Some cities can pay higher salaries for Instructor Pilot jobs, which can indicate that there is a large demand for Instructor Pilot positions in this city.
The following table shows top 10 cities where the Instructor Pilot salary is higher than other cities in California.
San Jose takes first place in this list, followed by Santa Clara, Fremont.
The Instructor Pilot salary is $211,734 in San Jose,
which is higher than the national average. There are 76 cities' Instructor Pilot salary higher than national average in California.
The average salary for an Instructor Pilot in California is $185,161,
but we found that the city with the highest salary for Instructor Pilot jobs is San Jose, CA, and it is higher than Santa Clara.
Instructor Pilot jobs in San Jose can have the opportunity to earn higher salaries than in other cities in California.
| CITY | ANNUAL SALARY | MONTHLY PAY | WEEKLY PAY | HOURLY WAGE |
| San Jose | $211,734 | $17,645 | $4,072 | $102 |
| Santa Clara | $211,734 | $17,645 | $4,072 | $102 |
| Fremont | $211,332 | $17,611 | $4,064 | $102 |
| San Francisco | $209,653 | $17,471 | $4,032 | $101 |
| Daly City | $209,653 | $17,471 | $4,032 | $101 |
| Berkeley | $205,003 | $17,084 | $3,942 | $99 |
| Oakland | $205,003 | $17,084 | $3,942 | $99 |
| Hayward | $204,667 | $17,056 | $3,936 | $98 |
| Antioch | $193,420 | $16,118 | $3,720 | $93 |
| Vallejo | $188,854 | $15,738 | $3,632 | $91 |
What Does an Instructor Pilot Do?
One viable solution left to solve for the capacity and quality of pilot training is to increase instructor pilots.
Updated December 20, 2021
Military pilots are trained with a different syllabus than civilian pilots, which is delivered by military instructors.
Updated December 14, 2021
If the Air Force is serious about maintaining pilot production, it must increase the number of instructor pilots assigned to pilot training.
Updated December 13, 2021
Further, if operational units want consistently good pilot training graduates, those units must offer some of their best instructors to AETC.
Updated November 30, 2021
But those instructor pilots have to get their start somewhere too, and that's where the specialized courses at Columbus Air Force Base come into play.
Updated November 16, 2021
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Explore JobArchitectFrequently Asked Questions About an Instructor Pilot Salaries
What is the average of an Instructor Pilot in California?
The Instructor Pilot salary range is from $159,181 to $220,914, and the average Instructor Pilot salary is $185,161/year in California.
The Instructor Pilot's salary will change in different locations.
Which location pays the highest Instructor Pilot salary in the United States?
The Instructor Pilot salary in San Jose, CA is $211,734
which is the highest in the US.
What kinds of reasons will influence the Instructor Pilot's salary?
Besides the location, employees' education degree, related skills, and work experience also will influence the salary.
Try to improve your skills and experience to get a higher salary for the position of Instructor Pilot.
What is the growth rate of the Instructor Pilot's salary?
If you are thinking of becoming an Instructor Pilot or planning the next step in your career, find the detailed salary report of an Instructor Pilot.
