Airfield Operations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a airfield operations specialists in Cleveland, OH is $57,790/year ($27.78/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $61,531 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,279/month, about 33.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $58K get you in Cleveland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About airfield operations specialists
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What this looks like in Cleveland
Airfield operations specialists pay in Cleveland tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $57K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,279/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for airfield operations specialists in metros near Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $76K | $80K |
| Columbus | $61K | $64K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $70K | $69K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $41K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level airfield operations specialists (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Airfield Operations Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Airfield Operations Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $123K | +117% | 290 |
| Washington | $84K | +48% | 150 |
| Alabama | $79K | +38% | N/A |
| Arizona | $78K | +36% | 160 |
| Colorado | $78K | +36% | 70 |
| Oregon | $75K | +32% | 50 |
| Virginia | $72K | +27% | 280 |
| Alaska | $72K | +26% | 160 |
| New Mexico | $69K | +22% | 50 |
| Georgia | $67K | +17% | 340 |
| California | $63K | +10% | 1,660 |
| Idaho | $63K | +10% | 40 |
| Michigan | $62K | +9% | 440 |
| Nevada | $61K | +8% | 150 |
| Texas | $61K | +7% | 1,310 |
| Utah | $60K | +5% | 290 |
| Florida | $58K | +1% | 2,320 |
| Ohio | $57K | +1% | 360 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | -1% | 380 |
| Pennsylvania | $56K | -2% | 340 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -13% | 80 |
| Iowa | $49K | -14% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -19% | 610 |
| Mississippi | $44K | -22% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $42K | -25% | N/A |
| New York | $42K | -26% | 2,190 |
| Missouri | $40K | -29% | 310 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -29% | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $39K | -31% | 100 |
| South Dakota | $38K | -33% | 190 |
| Indiana | $38K | -34% | 350 |
| North Dakota | $38K | -34% | 80 |
| Montana | $34K | -40% | 90 |
| South Carolina | $34K | -41% | 90 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -50% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 35 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track airfield operations specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cleveland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airfield operations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 32.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airfield operations specialists typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,331/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Cleveland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $57K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for airfield operations specialists?
Cleveland pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airfield operations specialists make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $57,790 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,850, and experienced airfield operations specialists can clear $58,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,965/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 32.3% 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 Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median airfield operations specialists salary is worth about $61,531 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.