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Job outlook for flight operations managers in the United States
Are flight operations manager jobs in demand?
Flight operations manager job and salary trends over time
Flight operations manager jobs over time
Flight operations manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 349 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 274 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 280 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 267 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 258 | 0.00% |
Average flight operations manager salary over time
Flight operations manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $42,558 | $20.46 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $41,380 | $19.89 | --0.1% |
| 2023 | $41,441 | $19.92 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $41,228 | $19.82 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $40,776 | $19.60 | +1.6% |
Flight operations manager jobs by state
Most common states for flight operations managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 421 | 61% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 450 | 34% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,713 | 31% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 306 | 29% |
| 5 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 852 | 27% |
| 6 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 2,684 | 26% |
| 7 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 2,638 | 26% |
| 8 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,710 | 26% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 819 | 26% |
| 10 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 766 | 26% |
| 11 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 152 | 26% |
| 12 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,830 | 25% |
| 13 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,708 | 25% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 475 | 25% |
| 15 | Delaware | 961,939 | 242 | 25% |
| 16 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 205 | 24% |
| 17 | Alaska | 739,795 | 176 | 24% |
| 18 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 302 | 23% |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,685 | 21% |
| 20 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,245 | 21% |
Most common cities for flight operations managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marietta | 1 | 2% | $38,965 |
| 2 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $38,998 |
Flight Operations Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of flight operations manager experts
Murray State University
Pepperdine University, Seaver College
Sam Houston State University
The City College of New York
Belmont University
Sonoma State University
Dr. Ben Littlepage
ProfessorMurray State University
Educational Administration And Supervision
What will help Flight Operations Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Ben Littlepage: Salary is maximized when leaders are sought after. Leaders who pursue meaningful experiences and remain 'market ready' are viewed as an asset to any organization. Leaders must carefully consider where the field is moving and respond.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Flight Operations Managers?
Steven Bauer: The coronavirus has accelerated the transformation to a digital world, and this effect will continue after the pandemic is behind us. Graduates will need to be able to navigate a hybrid business environment, with in-person and virtual meetings, interactions and platforms. There will also be increased opportunities to be entrepreneurial and innovative in the digital area. In addition, graduates will have to become more skilled at navigating a global environment since greater digitization will draw countries closer to each other.
Carliss Miller Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of ManagementSam Houston State University
Department of Management & Marketing
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Flight Operations Manager job market given the pandemic?
Carliss Miller Ph.D.: Flexible working arrangements were considered a perk or benefit, but given the pandemic more and more jobs will be designed with flexible work arrangements in mind. We will continue to see trends in the labor market with a push towards personal services (e.g. virtual assistants, professional organizers) and professional services. There will also continue to be a demand for knowledge work. More and more, employers are looking to hire applicants that can provide concrete evidence of being "Day 1" ready.
Employers will focus more on identifying prospects with certain "soft skills" which were a nice-to-have pre-pandemic, but are now critical for organizational survival. These skills include: critical thinking, agility, ability to adapt to change, resilience, virtual team effectiveness, crisis management, emotional intelligence, empathy, and inclusive leadership. Additionally, data analysis and interpretation is a highly sought after skill even for jobs that historically did not require analytical ability.
What type of skills will young Flight Operations Managers need?
Prabal Kumar De Ph.D.: I think the necessary skills remain the same. One modification that would stay is greater virtual engagement. Therefore, newly essential skills such as acing a virtual interview, making a mark during a Zoom meeting, or managing or being a valuable part of a remote working group would be useful long after the immediate threats from the COVID-19 crisis be gone.
Nina Woodard
Senior Career Development SpecialistBelmont University
Office of Career & Professional Development
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Flight Operations Manager job market given the pandemic?
Nina Woodard: The pandemic hasn't impacted all areas of the entertainment industry in the same way. Anything related to live events and touring has been placed on an extended pause, which has been very difficult for graduates hoping to work in those fields. On an encouraging note, consumers will always find a way back to live experiences, so that segment of the industry will absolutely recover; the timing is just still a bit unknown. Other areas such as record or publishing companies have held steady. And, digital marketing and content creation companies are as busy, if not busier, than they've ever been as artists seek alternative ways to stay connected to their fans. Technology has intersected with entertainment in exciting, creative ways that will continue even as some of the more traditional avenues become available again. For many companies, ideas that started as pivots are now vibrant components of their long-term strategies.
The way we work may have also permanently changed. Companies have realized that remote working is a truly viable option for most businesses. While maintaining company culture, and the social nature of an entertainment-based organization, may still require some level of in-person interaction, it seems likely that many organizations may continue with remote/hybrid office models.
What Flight Operations Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nina Woodard: For entertainment, digital marketing and content creation skills are critical. Even if a role isn't specifically connected to digital marketing, social media is almost always involved in most entry-level roles. We strongly encourage students and recent graduates to learn basic graphic design platforms, video editing and audio editing. Learning how to maximize impact on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram or TikTok is also a worthy investment of time. There's a wide range of self-paced training resources online, many available for free or at reduced costs for students.
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.
Adjunct LecturerSonoma State University
School of Business & Economics
What experience really stands out on Flight Operations Manager resumes?
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.: Most important on resumes to only show accomplishments you are proud of and reflect measurable success and completion of past work. These accomplishments should be a snapshot of what we have done and can do in the future. The most important two lines of a resume are in the objectives, to list what the person is seeking. These two lines give the reader a quick view of what the person wants.
Now is a great time to start the new year to build a portable work portfolio to represent an alignment of what a person is excited about and enjoys in their work.
What type of skills will young Flight Operations Managers need?
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.: I see the essential human skills gaining importance to build a new post-covid work life. These include creativity, leading and working in teams, writing, speaking, being self-aware, and lowering bias and networking; career branding as critical areas for graduates to focus on now.