SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Supervise and coordinate the activities of ground crew in the loading, unloading, securing, and staging of aircraft cargo or baggage. May determine the quantity and orientation of cargo and compute aircraft center of gravity. May accompany aircraft as member of flight crew and monitor and handle cargo in flight, and assist and brief passengers on safety and emergency procedures. Includes loadmasters.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 53-1041.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $41,690 | $3,474 | $802 | $20.04 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $49,820 | $4,152 | $958 | $23.95 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $58,170 | $4,848 | $1,119 | $27.97 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $78,530 | $6,544 | $1,510 | $37.75 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $92,160 | $7,680 | $1,772 | $44.31 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors is $58,170, which is 14% higher. Among the 50 occupations of the field Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks number 22 by median pay. With 9,760 jobs, it makes up about 0.6 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($65,010) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors pay by state
The highest median pay was in Georgia ($81,380), Ohio ($79,650) and Louisiana ($79,460). The lowest was in Oklahoma ($41,600), Michigan ($47,850) and Puerto Rico ($51,150). The most jobs were in California (1,490), Texas (1,410) and Kentucky (1,010). The occupation is most concentrated in Kentucky, where its share of all jobs is 8.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 150 | $81,380 | $85,510 | $39.12 |
| Ohio | 100 | $79,650 | $72,690 | $38.29 |
| Louisiana | 40 | $79,460 | $67,960 | $38.20 |
| Colorado | 190 | $79,260 | $79,290 | $38.10 |
| Connecticut | 50 | $78,770 | $71,960 | $37.87 |
| Virginia | 240 | $78,420 | $72,570 | $37.70 |
| Missouri | 100 | $76,450 | $77,600 | $36.75 |
| Indiana | 60 | $75,880 | $76,730 | $36.48 |
| Pennsylvania | 450 | $75,620 | $69,500 | $36.36 |
| Arizona | 220 | $74,780 | $74,810 | $35.95 |
| Arkansas | 40 | $73,520 | $72,730 | $35.34 |
| New Mexico | 50 | $72,760 | $67,130 | $34.98 |
| Nevada | 170 | $70,740 | $70,630 | $34.01 |
| New Jersey | 60 | $65,590 | $68,700 | $31.54 |
| Florida | 740 | $62,240 | $65,870 | $29.93 |
| South Carolina | 140 | $61,470 | $57,870 | $29.55 |
| Oregon | 110 | $61,340 | $68,620 | $29.49 |
| Washington | 150 | $61,090 | $63,530 | $29.37 |
| California | 1,490 | $60,530 | $70,860 | $29.10 |
| Alabama | not published | $59,460 | $66,880 | $28.59 |
| North Carolina | 90 | $59,130 | $64,530 | $28.43 |
| Hawaii | 180 | $59,120 | $61,380 | $28.42 |
| Illinois | 530 | $58,600 | $64,120 | $28.17 |
| Alaska | 130 | $58,230 | $71,160 | $27.99 |
| Utah | 80 | $57,570 | $67,330 | $27.68 |
| New York | 250 | $57,290 | $65,610 | $27.54 |
| Idaho | 120 | $56,530 | $62,800 | $27.18 |
| Texas | 1,410 | $56,290 | $63,220 | $27.06 |
| Iowa | not published | $55,030 | $62,440 | $26.46 |
| Tennessee | 260 | $53,560 | $58,910 | $25.75 |
| Minnesota | 170 | $53,100 | $62,970 | $25.53 |
| Kentucky | 1,010 | $52,530 | $48,520 | $25.26 |
| Massachusetts | 140 | $52,470 | $60,990 | $25.23 |
| New Hampshire | 30 | $52,360 | $65,620 | $25.17 |
| Puerto Rico | 100 | $51,150 | $56,890 | $24.59 |
| Michigan | 90 | $47,850 | $60,270 | $23.01 |
| Oklahoma | 70 | $41,600 | $52,640 | $20.00 |
| Maryland | 130 | not published | not published | not published |
| Nebraska | 150 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity$59,050 a year
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders$58,870 a year
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640 a year
- Bridge and Lock Tenders$57,700 a year
- Airfield Operations Specialists$56,850 a year
- Hoist and Winch Operators$56,450 a year
Common questions
How much do Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors earn in the United States?
The median pay was $58,170 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $41,690 and the highest-paid 10% more than $92,160.
How many people work as Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors?
About 9,760 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.