Also called: Cargo Handling Supervisor, Air Freight Lead
Leads the crew that loads freight, mail, and baggage onto aircraft and makes sure it's balanced and secured.
You plan which containers go where in the cargo hold so the plane is balanced, then direct loaders driving K-loaders and tugs. At a FedEx or UPS hub this can mean hundreds of containers moving in a few hours overnight.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 3 years after high school. High school diploma plus years of ramp or cargo experience.
Ways in: On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Logistics, Supply Chain Management.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). Grows with air freight.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Automated loaders and AI load plans help; leading ramp crews in all weather stays human.
Classes: Algebra I, Leadership class, PE or fitness.
Official data: O*NET occupation 53-1041.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.