Airfield operations specialists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,870 | $17.25 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $56,850 | $27.33 |
| Mean (average) | $63,610 | $30.58 |
| 90th percentile | $102,120 | $49.10 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Airfield operations specialists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 36 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $78,590 | $62,870 | $83,290 | ||
| Alaska | $71,510 | $43,780 | $105,060 | 160 | 5.1 |
| Arizona | $77,570 | $52,720 | $101,960 | 160 | 0.52 |
| California | $62,600 | $47,040 | $106,170 | 1,660 | 0.93 |
| Colorado | $77,500 | $49,800 | $95,680 | 70 | 0.25 |
| Florida | $57,650 | $37,490 | $77,290 | 2,320 | 2.39 |
| Georgia | $66,790 | $20,490 | $78,920 | 340 | 0.71 |
| Idaho | $62,510 | $47,260 | $84,400 | 40 | 0.47 |
| Indiana | $37,730 | $31,770 | $61,380 | 350 | 1.12 |
| Iowa | $48,870 | $18,320 | $62,810 | 40 | 0.25 |
| Kentucky | $123,290 | $54,990 | $163,350 | 290 | 1.5 |
| Massachusetts | $56,020 | $45,610 | $78,250 | 380 | 1.06 |
| Michigan | $61,780 | $41,220 | $78,920 | 440 | 1.03 |
| Mississippi | $44,290 | $39,210 | $80,720 | ||
| Missouri | $40,360 | $34,190 | $63,970 | 310 | 1.08 |
| Montana | $33,990 | $31,940 | $68,630 | 90 | 1.84 |
| Nevada | $61,350 | $46,150 | $106,960 | 150 | 0.98 |
| New Jersey | $42,480 | $42,480 | $94,040 | ||
| New Mexico | $69,090 | $39,020 | $104,360 | 50 | 0.55 |
| New York | $42,000 | $32,410 | $67,710 | 2,190 | 2.32 |
| North Carolina | $45,820 | $30,980 | $70,590 | 610 | 1.27 |
| North Dakota | $37,550 | $37,120 | $60,530 | 80 | 2.01 |
| Ohio | $57,140 | $38,790 | $77,860 | 360 | 0.67 |
| Oklahoma | $49,200 | $31,330 | $95,840 | 80 | 0.49 |
| Oregon | $75,130 | $48,720 | $83,700 | 50 | 0.26 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,660 | $31,980 | $84,460 | 340 | 0.57 |
| Puerto Rico | $50,180 | $36,920 | $66,360 | 820 | 8.93 |
| South Carolina | $33,590 | $18,730 | $71,220 | 90 | 0.4 |
| South Dakota | $37,860 | $30,460 | $49,560 | 190 | 4.36 |
| Tennessee | $40,180 | $17,910 | $65,440 | 190 | 0.59 |
| Texas | $60,910 | $39,680 | $148,060 | 1,310 | 0.95 |
| Utah | $59,780 | $39,930 | $82,190 | 290 | 1.73 |
| Virginia | $72,250 | $37,720 | $113,230 | 280 | 0.7 |
| Washington | $84,050 | $50,520 | $119,490 | 150 | 0.42 |
| West Virginia | $28,670 | $28,670 | $50,760 | 60 | 0.86 |
| Wisconsin | $39,400 | $38,160 | $58,550 | 100 | 0.34 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for airfield operations specialists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for airfield operations specialists
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Air Traffic Controller CIP 49.0105
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Inspect airfield conditions to ensure compliance with federal regulatory requirements.
- Implement airfield safety procedures to ensure a safe operating environment for personnel and aircraft operation.
- Conduct inspections of the airport property and perimeter to maintain controlled access to airfields.
- Assist in responding to aircraft and medical emergencies.
- Initiate or conduct airport-wide coordination of snow removal on runways and taxiways.
- Manage wildlife on and around airport grounds.
- Coordinate communications between air traffic control and maintenance personnel.
- Perform and supervise airfield management activities, including mobile airfield management functions.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Linux (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle Database (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Aircraft noise monitoring system software
- Apache HTTP Server
Transferable skills for career changers: Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Instructing, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Systems Analysis.
Common job titles: Airfield Operations Specialist, Airport Operations Agent, Airport Operations Coordinator, Airport Operations Officer, Airport Operations Specialist, Flight Follower, Operations Agent, Operations Coordinator, Operations Officer, Operations Specialist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do airfield operations specialists make?
The national median annual wage for airfield operations specialists was $56,850 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,870 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $102,120. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do airfield operations specialists need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and long-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is airfield operations specialists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of airfield operations specialists to change +7.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay airfield operations specialists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Kentucky ($123,290), Washington ($84,050), Alabama ($78,590). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.