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Boston Career Explorer

Transportation and Material Moving

Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors

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.

Also called: Cargo Supervisor, Ground Operations Supervisor, Line Service Supervisor (LSS), Loadmaster, Ramp and Cargo Supervisor, Ramp Supervisor

Median pay in Greater Boston
$52,470
$25.23/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
130
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+20.6%
20 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than 5 years of related work experience

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$45,830$52,460$52,470$73,280$82,580

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • 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.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Lower exposure18 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 26
  • Language-model AIOE 25
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 3

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI tools may help with the math and planning parts of this job, such as working out cargo quantity, placement, and an aircraft's center of gravity, or fitting cargo into the available space. They do not replace directing ground crews or training new workers. AI exposure is lower and observed AI use is little or none, and Massachusetts is projected to add 20.6% more of these jobs from 2024 to 2034.

Likely to change

  • Calculating cargo weight and balance
  • Planning how to fit cargo in space

Still relies on people

  • Directing ground crews during loading
  • Training new workers on safety and equipment

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

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    Moving and placing heavy loads safely carries over. This job pays a median of $98,140 in Boston and is projected to grow 16.1%.

    Pay difference
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    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

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    Pay difference
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    MA growth
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    Postsecondary nondegree award

  • Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

    Following safety rules and watching for hazards around crews and equipment carries over. It pays a median of $76,940 and needs a high school diploma.

    Pay difference
    +$24,470 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
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    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.

Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.

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