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Salary comparison

Advertising Sales Agents vs. Airfield Operations Specialists: Who Earns More?

Advertising Sales Agents out-earn Airfield Operations Specialists by $8K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Advertising Sales Agents land at $64,820 and Airfield Operations Specialists at $56,850. The education gap is real: advertising sales agent programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while airfield operations specialist programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Advertising Sales Agents is Washington ($101,320); for Airfield Operations Specialists it's Kentucky ($123,290).

Advertising Sales Agents
Airfield Operations Specialists
Median salary
$64,820
$56,850
Hourly rate
$31.16/hr
$27.33/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$35,240
$35,870
Senior level (90th %)
$146,010
$102,120
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
91,700
15,190
Job growth (10-year)
-6.4%
4.2%
Category
Sales
Transportation
Top-paying state
Washington
Kentucky

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Advertising Sales Agents median pay.

State
Advertising Sales Agents
Airfield Operations Specialists
Washington
$101,320
$84,050
California
$80,360
$62,600
Utah
$74,260
$59,780
Colorado
$73,420
$77,500
Michigan
$64,800
$61,780
Oregon
$62,810
$75,130
Arizona
$62,050
$77,570
Texas
$60,280
$60,910
Florida
$58,420
$57,650
Georgia
$58,140
$66,790
Idaho
$53,460
$62,510
Kentucky
$51,580
$123,290
Alabama
$50,870
$78,590
New Mexico
$45,620
$69,090
Alaska
$43,840
$71,510

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Advertising Sales Agents or Airfield Operations Specialists?

Advertising Sales Agents earn more nationally. The median is $64,820 for Advertising Sales Agents versus $56,850 for Airfield Operations Specialists, a difference of $8K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Advertising Sales Agents or Airfield Operations Specialists?

Airfield Operations Specialists has the better 10-year outlook at 4.2% projected growth, compared to -6.4% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Advertising Sales Agents or Airfield Operations Specialists?

Advertising Sales Agents typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Airfield Operations Specialists requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Advertising Sales Agents get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for Advertising Sales Agents at $101,320/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Advertising Sales Agents vs. Airfield Operations Specialists pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Advertising Sales Agents earn $101,320 vs. $84,050 for Airfield Operations Specialists. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Advertising Sales Agents salary breakdownView →Full Airfield Operations Specialists salary breakdownView →Best cities for Advertising Sales Agents by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Airfield Operations Specialists by take-home payExplore →How to become a advertising sales agentsGuide →How to become a airfield operations specialistsGuide →