Aircraft Service Attendants earn a median of $40,450 per year ($19.45/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 5.6% through 2035, with about 4,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 53-6032
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Aircraft Service Attendant in four numbers
- Median pay
- $40,450a year, or $19.45/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $34KTop 10% $58K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.6%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 4,00031,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202531.2K
- Projected 203532.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 31.2K Projected 2035 32.9K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Aircraft Deicer, Aircraft Refueler, Fueler, Refueler.
Pay
How much do Aircraft Service Attendants make?
Every aircraft service attendant in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$40,450
Middle half earn $35,740 to $46,830
- 10th
- $33,830
- 25th
- $35,740
- 75th
- $46,830
- 90th
- $57,610
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $33,830 |
| 25th | $35,740 |
| Median | $40,450 |
| 75th | $46,830 |
| 90th | $57,610 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $40,450
- Median hourly wage
- $19.45/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $43,330
- People employed
- 31,300
Versus all US occupations
At $40,450, Aircraft Service Attendants earn 21% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $10,530 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 36% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $57,610 or more while the bottom 10% earn $33,830, a gap of 1.7×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 8% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Maryland pays the most at $71,740, and still leads at $68,350 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Aircraft Service Attendants 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Maryland | $71,740 | $68,350 | 240 |
| 2Tennessee | $56,620 | $61,631 | 580 |
| 3Hawaii | $53,770 | $48,904 | 290 |
| 4Washington | $50,520 | $47,209 | 710 |
| 5Minnesota | $46,930 | $47,586 | 380 |
| 6Utah | $46,900 | $47,439 | 180 |
| 7California | $46,800 | $42,269 | 2,300 |
| 8Alaska | $46,760 | $45,682 | 300 |
| 9Montana | $46,310 | $48,930 | 170 |
| 10New Jersey | $46,210 | $42,470 | 920 |
Job outlook
Is Aircraft Service Attendant a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aircraft Service Attendants | +5.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Aircraft Service Attendants to change 5.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 4,000 openings are projected each year, 12.8% of the 31,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Aircraft Service Attendant
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does an Aircraft Service Attendant do?
Service aircraft with fuel. May de-ice aircraft, refill water and cooling agents, empty sewage tanks, service air and oxygen systems, or clean and polish exterior.
Day-to-day tasks
- Complete forms describing tasks completed.
- Guide aircraft to designated areas using hand signals, batons, or other methods.
- Radio to flight dispatchers or other personnel to discuss incoming or outgoing aircraft.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors 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 timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayConflict situations are rare.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
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
- Active Listening3.3
- Monitoring3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Writing2.8
- Active Learning2.8
- Learning Strategies2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Writing | 2.8 |
| Active Learning | 2.8 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Coordination2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Operations Monitoring2.8
- Social Perceptiveness2.6
- Complex Problem Solving2.6
- Quality Control Analysis2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.6 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.6 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Facilities management software
- Information retrieval or search software
- Inventory management 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 Service Attendant?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Aircraft Service Attendant |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.1
- Conventional4.2
- Enterprising2.1
- Social1.9
- Investigative1.8
- 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 Service Attendant
O*NET related occupations
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Production
Aircraft Structure, Surface, Rigging, and Systems Assembler
$65,380median a year
Most earn $47K to $108K
−5.6%High school - Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment
$35,830median a year
Most earn $27K to $48K
+3.9%No formal credential - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with aircraft service attendants 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
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
- Aircraft Service Attendant$40,450
| 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 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
| Aircraft Service Attendant | $40,450 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Aircraft Service Attendant appears on
Questions
Aircraft Service Attendant: frequently asked questions
How much do Aircraft Service Attendants make?
Aircraft Service Attendants earn a median of $40,450 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 21% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $19.45/hr. The middle half earn between $35,740 and $46,830. The top 10% earn $57,610 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Aircraft Service Attendant?
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 Service Attendants. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Aircraft Service Attendant a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.6% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 4,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Aircraft Service Attendant do?
Service aircraft with fuel. A core O*NET task: complete forms describing tasks completed. Employers most often ask for Office suite software, Operating system software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Aircraft Service Attendants the most?
The highest state medians for Aircraft Service Attendants are Maryland ($71,740), Tennessee ($56,620), Hawaii ($53,770) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Aircraft Service Attendant?
O*NET scores Aircraft Service Attendants highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ 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.