Airfield Operations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a airfield operations specialists in Pennsylvania is $55,660/year ($26.76/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $58,608 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 36.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $56K get you in Pennsylvania?
About airfield operations specialists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Airfield operations specialists pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $56K locally vs. $57K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 36% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level airfield operations specialists (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Airfield Operations Specialists salary by metro in Pennsylvania
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $82K | +47% | 120 |
| Pittsburgh | $54K | -3% | 110 |
Compare to other states
Track airfield operations specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a airfield operations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 36% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airfield operations specialists typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,919/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $56K locally vs. $57K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for airfield operations specialists?
Pennsylvania pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airfield operations specialists make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $55,660 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,980, and experienced airfield operations specialists can clear $84,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,754/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 36% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $58,608 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.