Airfield Operations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a airfield operations specialists in Memphis, TN-MS-AR is $64,320/year ($30.92/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.18), which stretches that salary to about $69,777 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,274/month, or 28.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $64K get you in Memphis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Memphis’s Regional Price Parity (92.18). 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 Memphis
Memphis sits well above the national pay line for airfield operations specialists, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $57K. Rent runs $1,274/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.18 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for airfield operations specialists in metros near Memphis, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $46K | $47K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $79K | $79K |
| St. Louis | $41K | $43K |
| Kansas City | $49K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Entry-level airfield operations specialists (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $33K 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 Memphis numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airfield operations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Memphis?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 28.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,274/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for airfield operations specialists in Memphis?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airfield operations specialists typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,966/month. At HUD’s $1,274/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Memphis?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $64K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does Memphis compare to the national average for airfield operations specialists?
Memphis pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airfield operations specialists make in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
The median is $64,320 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,770, and experienced airfield operations specialists can clear $65,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Memphis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,470/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,274/month, which eats 28.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a airfield operations specialists salary go in Memphis?
Memphis has a Regional Price Parity of 92.18 (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 $69,777 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.