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Pilot Salary in China
4 airlines based in China, compared on captain and first officer averages and ranges. Civil aviation authority: CAAC.
Pilot salary by airline in China
Sorted by captain average, highest first. Click an airline for its pay breakdown, fleet, hiring requirements and reviews from working pilots.
| Airline | Captain avg | Captain range | F/O avg | F/O range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air China | $192K | $138K〜$302K | $98K | $63K〜$138K |
| Hainan Airlines | $192K | $138K〜$302K | $98K | $63K〜$138K |
| China Southern Airlines | $186K | $132K〜$296K | $94K | $62K〜$132K |
| China Eastern Airlines | $182K | $132K〜$289K | $93K | $62K〜$132K |
Where China sits worldwide
Captain averages side by side. China sits at $188K against a $156K average across all 112 airlines — about 21% above. That places it 12th of the 51 countries covered.
Country figures are the unweighted mean of captain averages for the airlines we list there. World first officer average: $88K across 112 airlines.
Compare other countries
To see the whole region at once, go to pilot salary in Asia — 26 airlines across 12 countries, captains averaging $135K.
Frequently asked questions
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