Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor salary by state
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$67,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$7,000
10.2% of base
Total target cash
$74,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$4,00050th$7,00075th$11,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
Typical experience: 6 to 10 years at the Supervisor / Lead level, per widely used corporate career-level norms (Radford, Mercer, and SHRM career-level frameworks). Actual expectations vary by function, industry, and company size.
Determine the quantity and orientation of cargo, and compute an aircraft's center of gravity.
Direct ground crews in the loading, unloading, securing, or staging of aircraft cargo or baggage.
Train new employees in areas such as safety procedures or equipment operation.
Distribute cargo to maximize use of space.
Calculate load weights for different aircraft compartments, using charts and computers.
Top skills:Management of Personnel ResourcesCritical ThinkingTime ManagementSpeakingMonitoringActive Listening
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor pay by experience level
Entry level$43,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$51,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$60,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$81,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$95,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+5.2%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
1,100
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor salary by industry
Couriers and Messengers
3,650 workers
$67,500
Couriers and Express Delivery Services
3,650 workers
$67,500
Air Transportation
3,550 workers
$73,500
Scheduled Air Transportation
3,270 workers
$73,500
Support Activities for Transportation
2,190 workers
$54,500
Support Activities for Air Transportation
1,880 workers
$54,000
Freight Transportation Arrangement
300 workers
$58,000
Nonscheduled Air Transportation
280 workers
$72,000
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
120 workers
$76,500
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
90 workers
$68,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Determine the quantity and orientation of cargo, and compute an aircraft's center of gravity.
Direct ground crews in the loading, unloading, securing, or staging of aircraft cargo or baggage.
Train new employees in areas such as safety procedures or equipment operation.
Distribute cargo to maximize use of space.
Calculate load weights for different aircraft compartments, using charts and computers.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Exempt · Executive or Administrative exemption
Team leadership roles typically qualify for the Executive exemption when directing the work of two or more employees, or the Administrative exemption when exercising discretion on significant matters. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
How this role compares
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor pays 2% below the average across 53 roles in the Transportation and Material Moving job family (family average $69,000).
Similar-paying roles in Transportation and Material Moving
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