Skilled Trades
Airfield Operations Specialists
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.
Median salary (BLS)
$56,850
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$36k – $102k
Job outlook
+4% (faster than average)
AI exposure
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $70,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Airfield Operations Specialists
Education
Typical entry: No degree (trade/license)
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Airfield Operations Specialists
Entry / Junior
$35,870
~2 yrs to advance
Airfield Operations Specialists
Established
$56,850
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Airfield Operations Specialists
Senior
$79,485
Key skills
A typical day
- •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.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.