Jobs Similar to Airfield Operations Specialists
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to airfield operations specialists, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters, Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors and Air Traffic Controllers.
Airfield Operations Specialists: $56,850 median pay · usual preparation: Training or associate.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Airfield Operations Specialists) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | 80% | $78,000+37% | High school |
| 2 | Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | 79% | $58,170+2% | High school |
| 3 | Air Traffic ControllersSame group | 79% | $148,080+160% | Training or associate |
| 4 | Retail Loss Prevention Specialists | 76% | $42,540Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 5 | Police Identification and Records Officers | 76% | $93,790Broader BLS group · not compared | Training or associate |
| 6 | Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators | 76% | $43,370−24% | High school |
| 7 | Fire Inspectors and Investigators | 75% | $75,920+34% | Training or associate |
| 8 | Transportation Inspectors | 75% | $92,100+62% | Bachelor's degree |
| 9 | Agricultural Inspectors | 75% | $49,940−12% | High school |
| 10 | Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists | 75% | $56,8700% | Training or associate |
| 11 | Transit and Railroad Police | 75% | $90,230+59% | Training or associate |
| 12 | Fish and Game Wardens | 74% | $74,060+30% | Training or associate |
| 13 | Traffic Technicians | 74% | $59,090+4% | Training or associate |
| 14 | Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | 74% | $50,340−11% | High school |
| 15 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | 74% | $54,560−4% | Training or associate |
| 16 | Government Property Inspectors and Investigators | 74% | $80,730Broader BLS group · not compared | Training or associate |
| 17 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersSame group | 74% | $232,140+308% | Bachelor's degree |
| 18 | Loss Prevention Managers | 73% | $141,900Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 19 | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | 73% | $107,230+89% | Bachelor's degree |
| 20 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | 73% | $61,560+8% | Training or associate |
- 1Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
80% similar · $78,000 (+37%) · High school
- 2Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
79% similar · $58,170 (+2%) · High school
- 3Air Traffic Controllers
79% similar · $148,080 (+160%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 4Retail Loss Prevention Specialists
76% similar · $42,540 (broader group) · High school
- 5Police Identification and Records Officers
76% similar · $93,790 (broader group) · Training or associate
- 6Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators
76% similar · $43,370 (−24%) · High school
- 7Fire Inspectors and Investigators
75% similar · $75,920 (+34%) · Training or associate
- 8Transportation Inspectors
75% similar · $92,100 (+62%) · Bachelor's degree
- 9Agricultural Inspectors
75% similar · $49,940 (−12%) · High school
- 10Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
75% similar · $56,870 (0%) · Training or associate
- 11Transit and Railroad Police
75% similar · $90,230 (+59%) · Training or associate
- 12Fish and Game Wardens
74% similar · $74,060 (+30%) · Training or associate
- 13Traffic Technicians
74% similar · $59,090 (+4%) · Training or associate
- 14Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
74% similar · $50,340 (−11%) · High school
- 15Forest and Conservation Technicians
74% similar · $54,560 (−4%) · Training or associate
- 16Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
74% similar · $80,730 (broader group) · Training or associate
- 17Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
74% similar · $232,140 (+308%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 18Loss Prevention Managers
73% similar · $141,900 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 19Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
73% similar · $107,230 (+89%) · Bachelor's degree
- 20Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
73% similar · $61,560 (+8%) · Training or associate
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than airfield operations specialists.
- Air Traffic Controllers79% similar · $148,080 (+160%)
- Transit and Railroad Police75% similar · $90,230 (+59%)
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters80% similar · $78,000 (+37%)
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators75% similar · $75,920 (+34%)
- Fish and Game Wardens74% similar · $74,060 (+30%)
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians73% similar · $61,560 (+8%)
Similar jobs that need less preparation
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters80% similar · High school
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors79% similar · High school
- Retail Loss Prevention Specialists76% similar · High school
- Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators76% similar · High school
- Agricultural Inspectors75% similar · High school
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance74% similar · High school
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for airfield operations specialists also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where airfield operations specialists is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors (84)
- Police Identification and Records Officers (76)
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists (75)
- Forest and Conservation Technicians (74)
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators (74)
- Traffic Technicians (74)
- Customs and Border Protection Officers (73)
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians (73)
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters (71)
- Security Guards (71)
Questions about jobs like airfield operations specialists
What jobs are most similar to airfield operations specialists?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters (80% similar), Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors (79% similar), Air Traffic Controllers (79% similar), Retail Loss Prevention Specialists (76% similar) and Police Identification and Records Officers (76% similar).
Which jobs like airfield operations specialists pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($232,140, +308%; usually a bachelor's degree), Air Traffic Controllers ($148,080, +160%; usually training or an associate degree) and Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers ($107,230, +89%; usually a bachelor's degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with airfield operations specialists ($56,850). Without more preparation than airfield operations specialists usually need: Air Traffic Controllers, Transit and Railroad Police and Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.