CompSignalCompSignal

Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors Salary in California

SOC 53-1041 · California · BLS OEWS May 2025

Median Annual Salary
$60,528
$29.10/hr
4% higher than the US national median ($58,178)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors salary in California in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$49K
P25$53K
P50$61K
P75$79K
P90$102K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
⚡
Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- the broader market openings are at 4.4% (JOLTS, June 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in private industry are rising about 3.1% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.7-3.2% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $60,528 to $79,227 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role fell 9.0% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 3.1% wage growth of the broader market (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · MODERATE

the broader market is running a 4.4% job-openings rate with quits at 2.0% (BLS JOLTS).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.2 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is in the typical range for U.S. occupations; standard 80% to 120% pay bands around the median work well.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: national job openings little changed at 7.4M (4.4% rate), hires flat at 5.3M, quits steady at 2.0%.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: national wages rose 3.2% over the year while CPI reached 3.5%, the first negative real-wage reading since 2022. Benefit costs accelerated to 3.8%.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
Get notified when this number updates
Personal or work email, both work. No account needed. Unsubscribe anytime.

The median salary for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors in California is $60,528 per year ($29.10/hr). This is 4% higher than the national median of $58,178.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

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.

Wage Percentiles: California

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salaryvs National
P10Entry level$23.70$49,296+18.3%
P25$25.26$52,541+5.5%
P50MEDIAN$29.10$60,528+4.0%
P75$38.09$79,227+0.9%
P90Top earners$49.11$102,149+10.8%
Get the full percentile report
P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
Free. No account needed. Unsubscribe anytime.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+5.2%
Faster than average
Annual openings
1K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
10K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
5% from new growth95% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
None

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Couriers and Express Delivery Services
NAICS 492100
4K$57,320
Scheduled Air Transportation
NAICS 481100
3K$76,820
Wage range across top 5 industries: $57,320 to $76,820 (34% spread)
See the complete picture
Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
Open CompSignal — Free
No credit card required · 770+ occupations · 393 metros

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median aircraft cargo handling supervisors salary in California?

The median (P50) annual salary for Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors in California is approximately $60,528, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 4% higher than the national median of $58,178. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.

Related Roles in California

Same sector, top 5 by employment
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand53-7062View salary →Stockers and Order Fillers53-7065View salary →Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers53-3032View salary →Light Truck Drivers53-3033View salary →Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators53-7051View salary →Browse all 770+ occupations →
Need custom compensation benchmarks?
Falcon Incentives designs pay structures, incentive plans, and sales comp programs for mid-market companies.
Talk to Falcon Incentives →

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

About CompSignal

CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.

Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.

Open the full app →About Falcon Incentives →Privacy Policy
Explore CompSignal →

Free BLS wage benchmarks, JOLTS talent signals, and AI analyst briefs

CompSignal by Falcon Incentives · BLS data, made usable · Verify on BLS.gov