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A look at jobs related to air transportation for National Aviation Week
August 23, 2023
The week of August 19 is National Aviation Week, which celebrates the history of aviation. From modest beginnings, air transportation has grown into a large industry, transporting 852 million passengers on 8.2 million scheduled flights in 2022, as well as moving over 51 billion ton-miles of cargo. In honor of National Aviation Week, let’s look at some types of jobs related to air transportation and what they pay.
The air transportation industry, which includes transporting both passengers and freight on scheduled and nonscheduled flights, had employment of over 492,000 in May 2022. There were an additional 225,880 jobs in support activities for air transportation, such as air traffic control, airport operations, baggage and cargo handling services, and aircraft maintenance and repair services.
Three occupations combined made up over half of employment in air transportation: flight attendants (106,000); airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (77,280); and reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks (75,270). The largest occupations in support activities for air transportation were aircraft mechanics and service technicians (39,660); laborers and hand freight, stock, and material movers (17,590); and aircraft service attendants (13,410).
Employment for the largest occupations in the air transportation and support activities for air transportation industries, May 2022
Employment for the largest occupations in the air transportation industry, May 2022
Occupation
Employment
Flight attendants
106,000
Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
77,280
Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
75,270
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
50,930
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
31,790
Commercial pilots
23,110
Industrial truck and tractor operators
18,720
Customer service representatives
14,990
First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
9,920
Cargo and freight agents
8,630
Airfield operations specialists
4,360
General and operations managers
4,080
Stockers and order fillers
4,030
First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
3,230
Aircraft service attendants
3,140
Employment for the largest occupations in the support activities for air transportation industry, May 2022
Occupation
Employment
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
39,660
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
17,590
Aircraft service attendants
13,410
Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
8,830
Passenger attendants
7,730
Customer service representatives
7,690
Avionics technicians
7,020
General and operations managers
6,200
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
6,000
Cargo and freight agents
5,780
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
5,140
First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
5,010
Commercial pilots
4,820
Airfield operations specialists
4,350
Baggage porters and bellhops
3,930
The air transportation industry had an annual mean wage of $92,940, more than $30,000 above the U.S. average of $61,900 for all industries combined. The high overall average wage in air transportation was due partly to high wages for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, which had an annual mean wage of $229,230 in this industry. The largest occupation in air transportation, flight attendants, had an annual mean wage of $67,180; reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks had an annual mean of $48,910.
Annual mean wages for the largest occupations in the air transportation and support activities for air transportation industries, May 2022
Annual mean wages for the largest occupations in the air transportation industry, May 2022
Occupation
Annual mean wage
All occupations
92,940
Flight attendants
67,180
Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
229,230
Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
48,910
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
43,650
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
88,540
Commercial pilots
135,870
Industrial truck and tractor operators
58,080
Customer service representatives
51,220
First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
69,720
Cargo and freight agents
48,180
Airfield operations specialists
53,720
General and operations managers
147,210
Stockers and order fillers
53,670
First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
78,250
Aircraft service attendants
40,550
Annual mean wages for the largest occupations in the support activities for air transportation industry, May 2022
Occupation
Annual mean wage
All occupations
58,020
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
62,510
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
37,980
Aircraft service attendants
37,780
Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
33,820
Passenger attendants
32,880
Customer service representatives
37,200
Avionics technicians
59,720
General and operations managers
121,090
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
35,220
Cargo and freight agents
36,930
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
79,660
First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
57,240
Commercial pilots
127,910
Airfield operations specialists
49,090
Baggage porters and bellhops
33,180
In support activities for air transportation, aircraft mechanics and service technicians had an annual mean wage of $62,510, similar to the U.S. average wage of $61,900. Laborers and hand freight, stock, and material movers ($37,980) and aircraft service attendants ($37,780) had below-average wages.
United States Department of Labor
