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.
National median · BLS
$56,850
▲ +0.18%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$63,610
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
15,190
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Airfield Operations Specialists
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$35,870
25th
$42,000
Median (50th)
$56,850
75th
$77,340
90th — top pay
$102,120
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Airfield Operations Specialists
BLS projects employment of airfield operations specialists to grow 7.8% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 1,500 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
15,300 → 16,500
+1,200 jobs
Projected change
+7.8%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
1,500
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035
Airfield Operations Specialists salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Airfield Operations Specialists salaries by metro area
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Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Airfield Operations Specialists
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Active Listening4.0
Monitoring4.0
Coordination3.8
Critical Thinking3.8
Reading Comprehension3.8
Speaking3.8
Complex Problem Solving3.4
Writing3.4
Active Learning3.3
Instructing3.3
Top knowledge areas
Public Safety and Security4.5
Transportation4.3
English Language4.2
Customer and Personal Service4.0
Education and Training3.7
Telecommunications3.6
Administration and Management3.6
Law and Government3.4
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareAdobe PhotoshopExtensible markup language XMLIntuit QuickBooksLinuxMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft SharePointMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordOracle DatabaseSAP softwareAircraft noise monitoring system softwareApache HTTP ServerDecision Support Technologies PropworksFileMaker Pro
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: 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.
About the job
What airfield operations specialists do
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.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Airfield Operations Specialists, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $56,850.
