Airfield Operations Specialist Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Airfield Operations Specialists — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$56,850
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$27.33
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$102,120
entry level starts ~$35,870
Pay Grade
C+
modest pay · 15,000 employed

How much does an Airfield Operations Specialist make?

An Airfield Operations Specialist earns a median annual salary of $56,850 in the United States, which works out to roughly $27.33 per hour for full-time work. Most Airfield Operations Specialists earn between $35,870 at the entry level and $102,120 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $42,000 and $77,340 a year.

That is $4,540 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Airfield Operations Specialist salary range by percentile

Half of all Airfield Operations Specialists earn between $42,000 and $77,340 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$35,870$17.25
25th percentile (early career)$42,000$20.19
50th percentile (median)$56,850$27.33
75th percentile (experienced)$77,340$37.18
90th percentile (top earners)$102,120$49.10

Highest-paying states for Airfield Operations Specialist

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Kentucky leads the country for Airfield Operations Specialist pay at $123,290 a year, followed by Washington ($84,050) and Alabama ($78,590). At the other end, West Virginia posts the lowest median at $28,670 — a gap of $94,620 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Kentucky$123,290$59.27+117%
2Washington$84,050$40.41+48%
3Alabama$78,590$37.78+38%
4Arizona$77,570$37.29+36%
5Colorado$77,500$37.26+36%

Workforce and education

About 15,000 people work as Airfield Operations Specialists in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $63,610 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an Airfield Operations Specialist make in the United States?
The median Airfield Operations Specialist salary in the United States is $56,850 per year, or about $27.33 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $35,870, while the top 10% of earners make $102,120 or more.
How does Airfield Operations Specialist pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C+ (modest pay), the Airfield Operations Specialist median of $56,850 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Airfield Operations Specialists the most?
Kentucky is the highest-paying state for Airfield Operations Specialists, with a median salary of $123,290 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become an Airfield Operations Specialist?
Becoming an Airfield Operations Specialist typically requires a high school diploma. A high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job.
How many Airfield Operations Specialists work in the United States?
About 15,000 people were employed as Airfield Operations Specialists in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.