All careers › Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
Loadmaster: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $41,690lowest 10% earn less
- $49,82025th percentile
- $58,170median
- $78,53075th percentile
- $92,160top 10% earn more
Aircraft cargo handling supervisors, the BLS category that includes loadmasters, earned a median of $58,170 a year in May 2025[1][2]. Jobs are projected to grow 9.2% from 2025 to 2035[3].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +9.2%[3]
- Openings per year
- 900[6]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[7]
How much do loadmasters make?
The median wage for aircraft cargo handling supervisors was $58,170 a year, or $27.97 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $65,010 a year, or $31.26 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[5].
Here is how annual pay spread out in May 2025:
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th[4][9] | $41,690 | $20.04 |
| 25th[4][9] | $49,820 | $23.95 |
| 75th[4][9] | $78,530 | $37.75 |
| 90th[4][9] | $92,160 | $44.31 |
A percentile is a boundary. For example, the lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $41,690[4]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10].
These figures cover wage and salary jobs only. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[11]. About 9,760 people held these jobs[12].
Pay by state and city
Georgia had the highest median wage among the 36 states with published data at $81,380[13]. Ohio came next at $79,650, then Louisiana at $79,460[13]. Oklahoma had the lowest listed median at $41,600[13]. Some state figures rest on only a few dozen jobs, so read them as rough guides[13].
California had the most jobs with 1,490, followed by Texas with 1,410 and Kentucky with 1,010[14].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA led on pay at $81,380[15]. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington came next at $80,820, then Denver-Aurora-Centennial at $79,260[15]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the most jobs with 690 and a median of $53,220[16].
Show median pay in 36 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia[13] | $81,380 | 150 |
| Ohio | $79,650 | 100 |
| Louisiana | $79,460 | 40 |
| Colorado | $79,260 | 190 |
| Connecticut | $78,770 | 50 |
| Virginia | $78,420 | 240 |
| Missouri | $76,450 | 100 |
| Indiana | $75,880 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,620 | 450 |
| Arizona | $74,780 | 220 |
| Arkansas | $73,520 | 40 |
| New Mexico | $72,760 | 50 |
| Nevada | $70,740 | 170 |
| New Jersey | $65,590 | 60 |
| Florida | $62,240 | 740 |
| South Carolina | $61,470 | 140 |
| Oregon | $61,340 | 110 |
| Washington | $61,090 | 150 |
| California | $60,530 | 1,490 |
| Alabama | $59,460 | n/a |
| North Carolina | $59,130 | 90 |
| Hawaii | $59,120 | 180 |
| Illinois | $58,600 | 530 |
| Alaska | $58,230 | 130 |
| Utah | $57,570 | 80 |
| New York | $57,290 | 250 |
| Idaho | $56,530 | 120 |
| Texas | $56,290 | 1,410 |
| Iowa | $55,030 | n/a |
| Tennessee | $53,560 | 260 |
| Minnesota | $53,100 | 170 |
| Kentucky | $52,530 | 1,010 |
| Massachusetts | $52,470 | 140 |
| New Hampshire | $52,360 | 30 |
| Michigan | $47,850 | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $41,600 | 70 |
How to become a loadmaster
- First: finish high school or get an equivalent. BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education for entry[7].
- Next: build related work experience. BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience as typical[7].
- Then: expect no formal on-the-job training to be required. BLS lists none as typical[7].
In an O*NET survey of 20 workers, 64% said a high school diploma or the equivalent was required[17]. Another 18% said a bachelor's degree and 10% said less than a high school diploma[17]. The survey is small, so treat it as a rough picture.
O*NET places the job in a group that needs very little to some preparation, which can mean a few months to a year of experience for some jobs in that group[18].
What loadmasters do
These supervisors coordinate ground crews that load, unload, secure and stage aircraft cargo or baggage[2]. Tasks reported to O*NET include:
- Working out how much cargo there is, how it should be placed and the aircraft's center of gravity[19].
- Directing ground crews as they load, unload and secure cargo[19].
- Training new employees in safety procedures and equipment operation[19].
- Spreading cargo out to make the best use of space[19].
- Calculating load weights for different compartments with charts and computers[19].
- Flying with the aircraft as part of the flight crew to monitor and handle cargo in flight[19].
Workers reported job titles such as loadmaster, ramp supervisor, cargo supervisor and ground operations supervisor[20].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment of aircraft cargo handling supervisors to grow 9.2% from 2025 to 2035[3]. That is from about 9,700 jobs to 10,600, a gain of about 900[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[21]. These counts include self-employed workers[3]. In 2025, 0.7% of these supervisors were self-employed[22].
BLS expects about 900 openings a year on average[6]. Openings include jobs that come up when people retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 3% of workers leave the labor force and 5.4% move to a different occupation[23].
Is it a good fit?
Median pay is above the all-occupations median, and the range from $41,690 to $92,160 is wide[1][4][5]. Entry usually calls for a high school diploma or equivalent plus some related experience[7]. Projected growth is faster than the all-occupations rate, but this is a small occupation with about 900 openings a year[3][21][6]. Pay differs a lot by state and metro area[13][15].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a loadmaster make an hour?
- Aircraft cargo handling supervisors had a median of $27.97 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $20.04 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $44.31[9].
- What education do you need to be a loadmaster?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with less than 5 years of related experience[7].
- Are loadmasters in demand?
- Employment is projected to grow 9.2% from 2025 to 2035, and about 900 openings are expected each year[3][6].
- What is the highest paying state for loadmasters?
- Georgia had the highest median at $81,380 a year, followed by Ohio at $79,650[13].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors in the US was $58,170 per year and $27.97 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET description of Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors is projected to grow 9.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 9,700 to 10,600 jobs (a change of +900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors: 10th percentile $41,690, 25th percentile $49,820, 75th percentile $78,530, 90th percentile $92,160. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 900 openings for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors was $65,010 per year and $31.26 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors: 10th percentile $20.04, 25th percentile $23.95, 75th percentile $37.75, 90th percentile $44.31. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 9,760 people were employed as Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors jobs: California 1,490; Texas 1,410; Kentucky 1,010; Florida 740; Illinois 530. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors (areas with at least 100 jobs): Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $81,380; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $80,820; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $79,260; Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $77,810; Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $77,790; Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $75,810; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $73,020; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $70,780. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors jobs: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 690 (median $53,220); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 680 (median $60,530); Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 460 (median $34,110); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 390 (median $56,040); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 380 (median $70,780); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 360 (median $65,540). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 53-1041.00 survey of workers (20 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 64%, Bachelor's Degree 18%, Less than a High School Diploma 10% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 53-1041.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 53-1041.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Cargo Supervisor, Ground Operations Supervisor, Line Service Supervisor (LSS), Loadmaster, Ramp and Cargo Supervisor, Ramp Supervisor. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: 0.7% of Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors: 3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.