Airfield Operations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a airfield operations specialists in California is $62,600/year ($30.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $58,979 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 60.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $63K get you in California?
About airfield operations specialists
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What this looks like in California
Airfield operations specialists pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $57K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 59% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level airfield operations specialists (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $59K spread from bottom to top.
Airfield Operations Specialists salary by metro in California
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $87K | +39% | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $86K | +37% | 240 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $64K | +2% | 60 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $62K | -1% | 120 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $57K | -8% | 620 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $55K | -12% | 190 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $54K | -14% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track airfield operations specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airfield operations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 59% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for airfield operations specialists in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airfield operations specialists typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,822/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 88% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is airfield operations specialist a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $57K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for airfield operations specialists?
California pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airfield operations specialists make in California?
The median is $62,600 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,040, and experienced airfield operations specialists can clear $106,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,186/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 59% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a airfield operations specialists salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median airfield operations specialists salary is worth about $58,979 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do airfield operations specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.