Transportation and material moving
Aircraft cargo handling supervisor
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.
Median pay
$58,170
Growth to 2035
+9%
faster than average
Openings a year
900
Time to qualify*
2 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Aircraft cargo handling supervisor
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- Less than 5 years
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Aircraft cargo handling supervisor: 38% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
Also called: Cargo Supervisor · Ground Operations Supervisor · Line Service Supervisor (LSS) · Loadmaster · Ramp and Cargo Supervisor · Ramp Supervisor
Outlook and AI
Aircraft cargo handling supervisors held 9,700 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 10,600 by 2035 (+9%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Aircraft cargo handling supervisor vs. Airfield operations specialist
- Aircraft cargo handling supervisor vs. Transportation inspector
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- Aircraft cargo handling supervisor vs. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Aircraft cargo handling supervisor vs. Cargo and freight agents
- Aircraft cargo handling supervisor vs. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers