Airfield Operations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a airfield operations specialists in Virginia is $72,250/year ($34.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $113K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $76,221 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 34.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $72K get you in Virginia?
About airfield operations specialists
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia sits well above the national pay line for airfield operations specialists, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $57K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 35.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level airfield operations specialists (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $113K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track airfield operations specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airfield operations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 35.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airfield operations specialists typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,263/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Virginia?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $72K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for airfield operations specialists?
Virginia pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do airfield operations specialists make in Virginia?
The median is $72,250 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,720, and experienced airfield operations specialists can clear $113,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,631/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 35.5% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $76,221 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.