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Airfield operations specialist: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $35,870lowest 10% earn less
- $42,00025th percentile
- $56,850median
- $77,34075th percentile
- $102,120top 10% earn more
An airfield operations specialist had a median pay of $56,850 a year in May 2025, above the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. Jobs are projected to grow faster than all occupations from 2025 to 2035[3][4].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +7.8%[3]
- Openings per year
- 1,500[6]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[7]
How much do airfield operations specialists make?
The median pay for airfield operations specialists was $56,850 a year, or $27.33 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $63,610 a year, or $30.58 an hour[8]. For comparison, the median for all occupations was $50,980[2].
Pay spreads widely. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,870 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $42,000[5]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $77,340, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $102,120[5]. In hourly terms, those four marks were $17.25, $20.19, $37.18 and $49.10[9].
A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[11]. About 15,190 people held these jobs in May 2025[12].
Pay by state and city
Median pay differs a lot by state. Kentucky had the highest median at $123,290, followed by Washington at $84,050 and Alabama at $78,590[13]. West Virginia had the lowest of the 35 states with published data, at $28,670[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ had the highest median at $88,420, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $85,680 and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $84,050[14].
The most jobs were in Florida (2,320), New York (2,190), California (1,660), Texas (1,310) and North Carolina (610)[15]. Among metros, New York-Newark-Jersey City had 2,090 jobs with a median of $42,000, and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach had 1,530 jobs with a median of $58,630[16].
Show median pay in 35 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky[13] | $123,290 | 290 |
| Washington | $84,050 | 150 |
| Alabama | $78,590 | n/a |
| Arizona | $77,570 | 160 |
| Colorado | $77,500 | 70 |
| Oregon | $75,130 | 50 |
| Virginia | $72,250 | 280 |
| Alaska | $71,510 | 160 |
| New Mexico | $69,090 | 50 |
| Georgia | $66,790 | 340 |
| California | $62,600 | 1,660 |
| Idaho | $62,510 | 40 |
| Michigan | $61,780 | 440 |
| Nevada | $61,350 | 150 |
| Texas | $60,910 | 1,310 |
| Utah | $59,780 | 290 |
| Florida | $57,650 | 2,320 |
| Ohio | $57,140 | 360 |
| Massachusetts | $56,020 | 380 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,660 | 340 |
| Oklahoma | $49,200 | 80 |
| Iowa | $48,870 | 40 |
| North Carolina | $45,820 | 610 |
| Mississippi | $44,290 | n/a |
| New Jersey | $42,480 | n/a |
| New York | $42,000 | 2,190 |
| Missouri | $40,360 | 310 |
| Tennessee | $40,180 | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $39,400 | 100 |
| South Dakota | $37,860 | 190 |
| Indiana | $37,730 | 350 |
| North Dakota | $37,550 | 80 |
| Montana | $33,990 | 90 |
| South Carolina | $33,590 | 90 |
| West Virginia | $28,670 | 60 |
How to become an airfield operations specialist
The facts describe a short list of entry steps.
- First: finish high school or earn an equivalent diploma. That is the typical education for entry[7].
- Next: you do not need work experience in a related occupation[7].
- Then: learn the job through long-term on-the-job training[7].
Our facts do not give the length of training or name any license or certification.
What airfield operations specialists do
These workers help aircraft take off and land safely, at commercial and military airfields[17]. Tasks listed by O*NET include:
- Inspecting airfield conditions to check that federal rules are met[18].
- Carrying out safety procedures for people and aircraft[18].
- Checking the airport grounds and perimeter so access stays controlled[18].
- Helping respond to aircraft and medical emergencies[18].
- Coordinating snow removal on runways and taxiways[18].
- Managing wildlife around the airport[18].
- Passing information between air traffic control and maintenance staff[18].
- Tracking aircraft as they arrive, park, refuel, load and depart[18].
Job titles that workers report include airport operations agent, airport operations coordinator and flight follower[19].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment of airfield operations specialists to grow 7.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 15,300 to 16,500 jobs, a gain of 1,200[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[4]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[3].
BLS expects about 1,500 openings a year on average[6]. Openings include jobs created when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 2.3% of workers are projected to leave the labor force and 6.2% to move to a different occupation[20].
Is it a good fit?
The entry path is open to people with a high school diploma and no related work experience, though the training that follows is long[7]. Median pay sits above the all-occupation median, but it depends heavily on the state, from $28,670 in West Virginia to $123,290 in Kentucky[1][2][13]. Growth is projected at more than double the all-occupation rate[3][4]. The pool of jobs is small, at about 15,190[12].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an airfield operations specialist make an hour?
- The median was $27.33 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $30.58 an hour[1][8].
- What education do you need to be an airfield operations specialist?
- The typical entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related work experience and long-term on-the-job training[7].
- Is airfield operations specialist a growing job?
- BLS projects 7.8% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[3][4].
- Which state pays airfield operations specialists the most?
- Kentucky had the highest median annual wage at $123,290, then Washington at $84,050[13].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Airfield Operations Specialists in the US was $56,850 per year and $27.33 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half 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: employment of Airfield Operations Specialists is projected to grow 7.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 15,300 to 16,500 jobs (a change of +1,200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Airfield Operations Specialists: 10th percentile $35,870, 25th percentile $42,000, 75th percentile $77,340, 90th percentile $102,120. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 1,500 openings for Airfield Operations Specialists 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 Airfield Operations Specialists: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Airfield Operations Specialists was $63,610 per year and $30.58 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Airfield Operations Specialists: 10th percentile $17.25, 25th percentile $20.19, 75th percentile $37.18, 90th percentile $49.10. 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 15,190 people were employed as Airfield Operations Specialists in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Airfield Operations Specialists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Airfield Operations Specialists (areas with at least 100 jobs): Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $88,420; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $85,680; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $84,050; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $81,950; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $78,920; Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $76,100; Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $69,560; Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $63,100. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Airfield Operations Specialists jobs: Florida 2,320; New York 2,190; California 1,660; Texas 1,310; North Carolina 610. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Airfield Operations Specialists jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 2,090 (median $42,000); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,530 (median $58,630); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 620 (median $57,330); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 280 (median $56,020); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 260 (median $47,550); Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 250 (median $46,060). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET description of Airfield Operations Specialists. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Airfield Operations Specialists. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 53-2022.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Airfield Operations Specialist, Airport Operations Agent, Airport Operations Coordinator, Airport Operations Officer, Airport Operations Specialist, Flight Follower, Operations Agent, Operations Coordinator. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Airfield Operations Specialists: 2.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.2% 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.