Helicopter Hoist Rescue Operator
Median salary, education path, job outlook, and related careers — based on U.S. labor data.
Median salary
$68,000/yr
Typical range
$52,000 – $88,000
Education
Associate degree
Time to entry
About 2 years
What a Helicopter Hoist Rescue Operator does
Serves as the flight crew specialist who deploys from hovering rescue helicopters on a cable to extract injured climbers, shipwreck survivors, or flood victims from otherwise inaccessible locations.
Education & path
The typical entry point is a associate degree. About 2 years.
Estimated cost of that path: ~$7,500. Estimated payback: ~1 year. Estimates only — actual cost varies widely by school and financial aid; payback assumes ~20% of income applied.
Related careers
- Ferry Captain — $82,000/yr
- Backcountry Ski Patrol Director — $62,000/yr
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- Aerial Firefighting Pilot — $110,000/yr
- Smokejumper — $72,000/yr
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