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Aircraft Operator - Federal Salaries of 2022
Pay Rates for "Aircraft Operator"
How much does an Aircraft Operator in the federal government get paid? $129,480.38* *Based on the 2022 average.Aircraft Operator was the 287th most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2022, with 300 employed. The most common payscale was the general schedule payscale.
In 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration hired the most employees titled Aircraft Operation, with an average salary of $161,423.
Government Aircraft Operation jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
This occupation includes all positions primarily involved in: (1) piloting or copiloting of aircraft to carry out various programs and functions of Federal agencies; (2) providing ground and flight instruction and in-flight evaluation in the piloting of aircraft; (3) flight testing of developmental and modified aircraft and components; (4) in-flight inspection and evaluation of air navigation facilities and the environmental conditions affecting instrument flight procedures; and (5) performing staff work concerned with planning, analyzing, or administering agency aviation programs, where the work requires primarily the application of pilot knowledge and skills.
Agencies that have hired an Aircraft Operator
| Agency | Employees Hired | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Aviation Administration | 113 | $161,422.55 |
| Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service | 53 | $87,974.64 |
| Forest Service | 51 | $98,330.86 |
| U.S. Marshals Service | 19 | $144,215.95 |
| Department of Energy | 15 | $139,507.63 |
| Customs and Border Protection | 13 | $0.00 |
| U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 9 | $108,728.78 |
| National Park Service | 7 | $95,328.57 |
| Bureau of Land Management | 6 | $98,473.33 |
| Department of State | 4 | $150,146.00 |
| Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center | 3 | $175,283.67 |
| Ames Research Center | 2 | $173,240.50 |
| John F. Kennedy Space Center | 2 | $136,042.00 |
| John Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field | 1 | $168,975.00 |
| Langley Research Center | 1 | $153,090.00 |
| Goddard Space Flight Center | 1 | $176,300.00 |
Aircraft Operator Pay Distribution
The average pay for an Aircraft Operator is $129,480.38. The highest paid Aircraft Operator made $209,387 in 2022.
Common Aircraft Operator Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Aircraft Operation Employees |
|---|---|
| GS - General Schedule | 176 |
| FG - Similar To The General Schedule | 73 |
| FV - Federal Aviation Administration Core Compensation Plan | 40 |
| NQ - Employees In The National Nuclear Secuirty Administration's Professional, Technical, And Admin Career Path | 7 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not Elsewhere Specified | 4 |
| Category: | N/A |
| Occupation Family: | 2100 TRANSPORTATION GROUP |
Average Aircraft Operation Pay Trend from 2004 to 2022
In 2004, the average pay for an Aircraft Operator was $82,200. Since then, the average pay has increased to $129,480 in 2022.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 2181.