Airfield Operations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a airfield operations specialists in Oklahoma is $49,200/year ($23.65/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.46), which stretches that salary to about $56,254 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,081/month, about 32.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oklahoma. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $49K actually covers in Oklahoma, month by month
About airfield operations specialists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Oklahoma
Pay for airfield operations specialists in Oklahoma runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $57K. Rent runs $1,081/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oklahoma
Entry-level airfield operations specialists (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Airfield Operations Specialists salary by metro in Oklahoma
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa | $49K | -0% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track airfield operations specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Oklahoma numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a airfield operations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oklahoma?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 32.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,081/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Oklahoma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airfield operations specialists typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,185/month. At HUD’s $1,081/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Oklahoma?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $49K here vs. $57K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Oklahoma compare to the national average for airfield operations specialists?
Oklahoma pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do airfield operations specialists make in Oklahoma?
The median is $49,200 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,330, and experienced airfield operations specialists can clear $95,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Oklahoma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,310/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,081/month, which eats 32.7% 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 Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has a Regional Price Parity of 87.46 (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 $56,254 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.