SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Ensure the safe takeoff and landing of commercial and military aircraft. Duties include coordination between air-traffic control and maintenance personnel, dispatching, using airfield landing and navigational aids, implementing airfield safety procedures, monitoring and maintaining flight records, and applying knowledge of weather information.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 53-2022.
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 | $35,870 | $2,989 | $690 | $17.25 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $42,000 | $3,500 | $808 | $20.19 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $56,850 | $4,738 | $1,093 | $27.33 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $77,340 | $6,445 | $1,487 | $37.18 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $102,120 | $8,510 | $1,964 | $49.10 |
* 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 Airfield Operations Specialists is $56,850, which is 12% higher. Among the 50 occupations of the field Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks number 24 by median pay. With 15,190 jobs, it makes up about 1.0 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($63,610) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Airfield Operations Specialists pay by state
The highest median pay was in Kentucky ($123,290), Washington ($84,050) and Alabama ($78,590). The lowest was in West Virginia ($28,670), South Carolina ($33,590) and Montana ($33,990). The most jobs were in Florida (2,320), New York (2,190) and California (1,660). The occupation is most concentrated in Puerto Rico, where its share of all jobs is 8.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 290 | $123,290 | $108,820 | $59.27 |
| Washington | 150 | $84,050 | $89,290 | $40.41 |
| Alabama | not published | $78,590 | $75,980 | $37.79 |
| Arizona | 160 | $77,570 | $76,310 | $37.30 |
| Colorado | 70 | $77,500 | $74,630 | $37.26 |
| Oregon | 50 | $75,130 | $73,170 | $36.12 |
| Virginia | 280 | $72,250 | $75,730 | $34.74 |
| Alaska | 160 | $71,510 | $72,030 | $34.38 |
| New Mexico | 50 | $69,090 | $72,550 | $33.22 |
| Georgia | 340 | $66,790 | $57,070 | $32.11 |
| California | 1,660 | $62,600 | $73,180 | $30.10 |
| Idaho | 40 | $62,510 | $63,490 | $30.05 |
| Michigan | 440 | $61,780 | $63,350 | $29.70 |
| Nevada | 150 | $61,350 | $66,570 | $29.49 |
| Texas | 1,310 | $60,910 | $75,640 | $29.28 |
| Utah | 290 | $59,780 | $61,610 | $28.74 |
| Florida | 2,320 | $57,650 | $58,170 | $27.72 |
| Ohio | 360 | $57,140 | $54,690 | $27.47 |
| Massachusetts | 380 | $56,020 | $58,690 | $26.93 |
| Pennsylvania | 340 | $55,660 | $57,800 | $26.76 |
| Puerto Rico | 820 | $50,180 | $55,410 | $24.13 |
| Oklahoma | 80 | $49,200 | $60,390 | $23.65 |
| Iowa | 40 | $48,870 | $47,530 | $23.50 |
| North Carolina | 610 | $45,820 | $48,720 | $22.03 |
| Mississippi | not published | $44,290 | $54,370 | $21.29 |
| New Jersey | not published | $42,480 | $53,870 | $20.42 |
| New York | 2,190 | $42,000 | $46,380 | $20.19 |
| Missouri | 310 | $40,360 | $46,460 | $19.41 |
| Tennessee | 190 | $40,180 | $41,500 | $19.32 |
| Wisconsin | 100 | $39,400 | $45,970 | $18.94 |
| South Dakota | 190 | $37,860 | $40,240 | $18.20 |
| Indiana | 350 | $37,730 | $45,290 | $18.14 |
| North Dakota | 80 | $37,550 | $44,150 | $18.05 |
| Montana | 90 | $33,990 | $46,640 | $16.34 |
| South Carolina | 90 | $33,590 | $38,790 | $16.15 |
| West Virginia | 60 | $28,670 | $35,540 | $13.79 |
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
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640 a year
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$58,170 a year
- Bridge and Lock Tenders$57,700 a year
- Hoist and Winch Operators$56,450 a year
- Rail Transportation Workers, All Other$56,360 a year
- Sailors and Marine Oilers$51,520 a year
Common questions
How much do Airfield Operations Specialists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $56,850 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,870 and the highest-paid 10% more than $102,120.
How many people work as Airfield Operations Specialists?
About 15,190 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.