United States Air Force Salary in the United States

How much does an United States Air Force make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for an United States Air Force in the United States is $48,317 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $23.

However, an United States Air Force's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $61,336
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $42,876 to $55,131
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $37,923
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View as table View as graph 25% $42,876 10% $37,923 90% $61,336 75% $55,131 $48,317 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

United States Air Force Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $55,131 $4,594 $1,060 $27
Average $48,317 $4,026 $929 $23
25th Percentile $42,876 $3,573 $825 $21
Check out United States Air Force Job Openings in the United States
14G Instructor Air Defense Artillery

Navanti Group - FORT SILL, OK

Air Conditioning Technician

Lee Company - KNOXVILLE, TN

Air Conditioning Technician

Lee Company - MT. JULIET, TN

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Key Factors That Influence United States Air Force Salaries

An United States Air Force's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects United States Air Force Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an United States Air Force's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $46,579
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $46,956
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $50,261
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $55,479
  • Expert (over 8 years): $55,827
Levels Salary
Entry Level United States Air Force$46,579
Intermediate Level United States Air Force$46,956
Senior Level United States Air Force$50,261
Specialist Level United States Air Force$55,479
Expert Level United States Air Force$55,827
$46,579 0 yr
$46,956 < 2 yrs
$50,261 2-4 yrs
$55,479 5-8 yrs
$55,827 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do United States Air Force Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract United States Air Forces. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $53,496.
  • California: $53,293.
  • Massachusetts: $52,583.

Top Paying Cities for United States Air Forces

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $60,942
  • San Francisco: $60,342
  • Oakland: $59,004

What Skills Can Increase an United States Air Force's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 4.32% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Estate Planning (Mentioned in 2.67% Job Postings): Estate planning is the process of anticipating and arranging, during a person's life, for the management and disposal of that person's estate during the person's life and at and after death, while minimizing gift, estate, generation skipping transfer, and income tax. Estate planning includes planning for incapacity as well as a process of reducing or eliminating uncertainties over the administration of a probate and maximizing the value of the estate by reducing taxes and other expenses. The ultimate goal of estate planning can be determined by the specific goals of the client, and may be as simple or complex as the client's needs dictate. Guardians are often designated for minor children and beneficiaries in incapacity. The law of estate planning overlaps to some degree with elder law, which additionally includes other provisions such as long-term care.
  • Bookkeeping (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions, and is part of the process of accounting in business. Transactions include purchases, sales, receipts, and payments by an individual person or an organization/corporation. There are several standard methods of bookkeeping, including the single-entry and double-entry bookkeeping systems. While these may be viewed as "real" bookkeeping, any process for recording financial transactions is a bookkeeping process. Bookkeeping is the work of a bookkeeper (or book-keeper), who records the day-to-day financial transactions of a business. They usually write the daybooks (which contain records of sales, purchases, receipts, and payments), and document each financial transaction, whether cash or credit, into the correct daybook—that is, petty cash book, suppliers ledger, customer ledger, etc.—and the general ledger. Thereafter, an accountant can create financial reports from the information recorded by the bookkeeper.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 4.32%
Estate Planning 2.67%
Bookkeeping 1.85%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an United States Air Force's salary.
  • Onboarding: Can increase your salary by up to 29%.
  • Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
  • Analytical Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Onboarding
$62,328
29%
Flexibility
$58,463
21%
Analytical Skills
$56,047
16%
Accounting Systems
$55,081
14%
Interpersonal Communication
$54,598
13%
Cash Management
$53,631
11%
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How Education impacts an United States Air Force's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many United States Air Forces enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an United States Air Force with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $44,411 and $47,008).

United States Air Force Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for United States Air Force
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 100.0%
High School 0.0%
Associates 100.0%
Bachelors 0.0%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
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United States Air Force Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an United States Air Force's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for United States Air Force

Salaries for an United States Air Force can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $46,003 in 2023 to around $45,368 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of United States Air Force salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of United States Air Force Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$46,003
2024
$45,657
2025
$45,368
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $46,003
2024 $45,657
2025 $45,368
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for United States Air Force

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for United States Air Force

Here are companies hiring for United States Air Force and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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