Airfield Operations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a airfield operations specialists in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is $42,000/year ($20.19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 112.56), so that salary is closer to $37,313 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,910/month, about 100.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New York-Newark-Jersey City’s Regional Price Parity (112.56). 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City
Pay for airfield operations specialists in New York-Newark-Jersey City runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $57K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,910/month, which is 102.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 13% above the national average (BEA RPP 112.56), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for airfield operations specialistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for airfield operations specialists in metros near New York-Newark-Jersey City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $34K | $31K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $56K | $52K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $82K | $80K |
| Pittsburgh | $54K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Entry-level airfield operations specialists (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $31K 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airfield operations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 102.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,910/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airfield operations specialists typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,266/month. At HUD’s $2,910/month FMR, rent would take 128% 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $42K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does New York-Newark-Jersey City compare to the national average for airfield operations specialists?
New York-Newark-Jersey City pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 112.56), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do airfield operations specialists make in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
The median is $42,000 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,770, and experienced airfield operations specialists can clear $68,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,840/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,910/month, which eats 102.5% 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
New York-Newark-Jersey City has a Regional Price Parity of 112.56 (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 $37,313 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.