Airfield operations specialists
SOC Code: 53-2022
Airfield operations specialists carries a 45% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $56,750 and +4.2% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 16,900 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 45% AI exposure, Airfield operations specialists sits 8 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 81% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
46/100
Airfield operations specialists, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage D $56,750
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth B- +4.2%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 45% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Airfield operations specialists in the High band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Airfield operations specialists keeps an HS / some college bar (333 of 832) and sits in Average (378 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Airfield operations specialists sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Airfield operations specialists sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
45% Higher than most higher than 81% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Airfield operations specialists vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Airfield operations specialists is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Airfield operations specialists's High automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 53-2022) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Airfield operations specialists be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Airfield operations specialists. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Inspect airfield conditions to ensure compliance with federal regulatory requirements.
- 2. Implement airfield safety procedures to ensure a safe operating environment for personnel and aircraft operation.
- 3. Conduct inspections of the airport property and perimeter to maintain controlled access to airfields.
- 4. Assist in responding to aircraft and medical emergencies.
- 5. Initiate or conduct airport-wide coordination of snow removal on runways and taxiways.
- 6. Manage wildlife on and around airport grounds.
- 7. Coordinate communications between air traffic control and maintenance personnel.
- 8. Coordinate with agencies to meet aircrew requirements for billeting, messing, refueling, ground transportation, and transient aircraft maintenance.
- 9. Perform and supervise airfield management activities, including mobile airfield management functions.
- 10. Plan and coordinate airfield construction.
Key Skills Required
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Coordination
- Writing
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Learning
- Instructing
Knowledge Areas
- Public Safety and Security
- Transportation
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- Telecommunications
- Administration and Management
- Law and Government
- Administrative
- Computers and Electronics
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Airfield operations specialists?
Airfield operations specialists has an AI exposure score of 45%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Airfield operations specialists?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Airfield operations specialists is projected to grow by 4.2% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 16,900 workers.
What skills are needed for Airfield operations specialists?
Key skills for Airfield operations specialists include Active Listening, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Airfield operations specialists earn?
The median annual wage for Airfield operations specialists is $56,750, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Airfield operations specialists?
The typical entry-level education for Airfield operations specialists is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Long-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Airfield operations specialists?
Airfield operations specialists roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A moderate share of tasks may be augmented by AI tools.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Airfield operations specialists: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (45% here).
- Aerospace engineers · AI exposure 45%
- Couriers and messengers · AI exposure 45%
- First-line supervisors of gambling services workers · AI exposure 45%
- Human resources managers · AI exposure 45%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+4.2% here).
- Art directors · growth +4.2%
- Automotive service technicians and mechanics · growth +4.2%
- Drywall and ceiling tile installers · growth +4.2%
- Fiberglass laminators and fabricators · growth +4.2%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 19 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Airfield operations specialists' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Airfield operations specialists side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).