As of September 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Aircraft First Officer in California is $169,753, equivalent to $82 per hour, $3,264 weekly, or $14,146 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Aircraft First Officer in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Aircraft First Officer in California vary widely, spanning from $138,225 to $203,139. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($153,250) and 75th percentile ($187,229), while top earners (90th percentile) make $203,139 per year. This $33,979 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Customer Service or Safety Management, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, California Aircraft First Officer often earn 10.3% higher than national averages due to demand from Fortune 40 companies. However, California currently ranks 2 nationwide for Aircraft First Officer job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Aircraft First Officer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Aircraft First Officer Salary $138,225 CA September 01, 2026
25th Percentile Aircraft First Officer Salary $153,250 CA September 01, 2026
50th Percentile Aircraft First Officer Salary $169,753 CA September 01, 2026
75th Percentile Aircraft First Officer Salary $187,229 CA September 01, 2026
90th Percentile Aircraft First Officer Salary $203,139 CA September 01, 2026
25% $153,250 10% $138,225 90% $203,139 75% $187,229 $169,753 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is an Aircraft First Officer ?

In commercial aviation, the first officer (FO) is the second pilot (also referred to as the co-pilot) of an aircraft. The first officer is second-in-command of the aircraft to the captain, who is the legal commander. In the event of incapacitation of the captain, the first officer will assume command of the aircraft. Control of the aircraft is normally shared equally between the first officer and the captain, with one pilot normally designated the "pilot flying" (PF) and the other the "pilot not flying" (PNF), or "pilot monitoring" (PM), for each flight. Even when the first officer is the fl...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Location Avg. Salary Date Updated
Location Coachella, CA Avg. Salary $187,977 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Acampo, CA Avg. Salary $199,841 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Acton, CA Avg. Salary $200,367 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Adelanto, CA Avg. Salary $194,041 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Adin, CA Avg. Salary $189,584 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Agoura Hills, CA Avg. Salary $199,858 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Aguanga, CA Avg. Salary $192,454 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Ahwahnee, CA Avg. Salary $188,456 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Alameda, CA Avg. Salary $227,617 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Alamo, CA Avg. Salary $221,346 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Job Openings for Aircraft First Officer in California

Career Path for this job

  1. Down a level:

    Pilot I

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. This Job:

    Aircraft First Officer

    4 - 7 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  3. Up a level:

    Pilot III

    7 + years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

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