Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors earn a median of $58,170 per year ($27.97/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 9.2% through 2035, with about 900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 53-1041
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor in four numbers
- Median pay
- $58,170a year, or $27.97/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $42KTop 10% $92K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +9.2%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+9.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +9.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 9009,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20259.7K
- Projected 203510.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 9.7K Projected 2035 10.6K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school10.2%
- High school64.1%
- Certificate2.6%
- Some college4.7%
- Bachelor's18.5%
Highest education held by aircraft cargo handling supervisors Segment Value Less than high school 10.2% High school 64.1% Certificate 2.6% Some college 4.7% Bachelor's 18.5%
Also advertised as: Cargo Supervisor, Ground Operations Supervisor, Line Service Supervisor (LSS), Loadmaster, Ramp and Cargo Supervisor, Ramp Supervisor.
Pay
How much do Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors make?
Every aircraft cargo handling supervisor in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$58,170
Middle half earn $49,820 to $78,530
- 10th
- $41,690
- 25th
- $49,820
- 75th
- $78,530
- 90th
- $92,160
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $41,690 |
| 25th | $49,820 |
| Median | $58,170 |
| 75th | $78,530 |
| 90th | $92,160 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $58,170
- Median hourly wage
- $27.97/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $65,010
- People employed
- 9,760
Versus all US occupations
At $58,170, Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors earn 14% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $7,190 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 7% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $92,160 or more while the bottom 10% earn $41,690, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 30% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Georgia posts the highest raw median ($81,380), but once local prices are taken into account Louisiana leads at $90,084 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Georgia | $81,380 | $84,513 | 150 |
| 2Ohio | $79,650 | $85,854 | 100 |
| 3Louisiana | $79,460 | $90,084 | 40 |
| 4Colorado | $79,260 | $76,913 | 190 |
| 5Connecticut | $78,770 | $76,025 | 50 |
| 6Virginia | $78,420 | $77,564 | 240 |
| 7Missouri | $76,450 | $84,180 | 100 |
| 8Indiana | $75,880 | $81,304 | 60 |
| 9Pennsylvania | $75,620 | $77,502 | 450 |
| 10Arizona | $74,780 | $74,277 | 220 |
Job outlook
Is Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +9.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | +9.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors to change 9.2% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.6× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 900 openings are projected each year, 9.3% of the 9,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as aircraft cargo handling supervisors.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)64.1%
- Bachelor's Degree18.5%
- Less than a High School Diploma10.2%
- Some College Courses4.7%
- Post-Secondary Certificate2.6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 64.1% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 18.5% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 10.2% |
| Some College Courses | 4.7% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 2.6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor do?
Supervise and coordinate the activities of ground crew in the loading, unloading, securing, and staging of aircraft cargo or baggage. May determine the quantity and orientation of cargo and compute aircraft center of gravity. May accompany aircraft as member of flight crew and monitor and handle cargo in flight, and assist and brief passengers on safety and emergency procedures. Includes loadmasters.
Day-to-day tasks
- Train new employees in areas such as safety procedures or equipment operation.
- Distribute cargo to maximize use of space.
- Direct ground crews in the loading, unloading, securing, or staging of aircraft cargo or baggage.
- Determine the quantity and orientation of cargo, and compute an aircraft's center of gravity.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Active Listening3.6
- Speaking3.6
- Monitoring3.6
- Learning Strategies3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.3
- Writing3.1
- Mathematics3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Active Listening | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Management of Personnel Resources3.8
- Time Management3.6
- Coordination3.5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
- Instructing3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Systems Analysis3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.8 |
| Time Management | 3.6 |
| Coordination | 3.5 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.4 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 |
| Instructing | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Inventory management software
- Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 5 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising5.4
- Conventional4.8
- Realistic4.6
- Social2.5
- Investigative2.2
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor
O*NET related occupations
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Management
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager
$107,230median a year
Most earn $65K to $195K
+6.1%High school - Office and Administrative Support
- Transportation and Material Moving
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator
$46,420median a year
Most earn $37K to $63K
+1.5%No formal credential - Office and Administrative Support
- First-Line Supervisor of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators · $62,840 median
- First-Line Supervisor of Passenger Attendants · $62,840 median
- First-Line Supervisor of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand · $62,840 median
More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with aircraft cargo handling supervisors highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor$58,170
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor | $58,170 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within aircraft cargo handling supervisor
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor appears on
Questions
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor: frequently asked questions
How much do Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors make?
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors earn a median of $58,170 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 14% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $27.97/hr. The middle half earn between $49,820 and $78,530. The top 10% earn $92,160 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 64.1% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 9.2% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor do?
Supervise and coordinate the activities of ground crew in the loading, unloading, securing, and staging of aircraft cargo or baggage. A core O*NET task: train new employees in areas such as safety procedures or equipment operation. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors the most?
The highest state medians for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors are Georgia ($81,380), Ohio ($79,650), Louisiana ($79,460) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Louisiana moves to the top at $90,084.
What personality type suits an Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor?
O*NET scores Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.