Air traffic controllers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $78,420 | $37.70 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $148,080 | $71.19 |
| Mean (average) | $146,490 | $70.43 |
| 90th percentile | $215,610 | $103.66 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Air traffic controllers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 45 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $114,960 | $79,420 | $159,640 | 240 | 0.79 |
| Alaska | $123,950 | $66,800 | $191,690 | 490 | 10.35 |
| Arizona | $136,800 | $86,630 | $195,980 | 380 | 0.81 |
| Arkansas | $109,760 | $76,360 | $134,430 | 80 | 0.44 |
| California | $160,080 | $80,960 | $225,680 | 2,290 | 0.87 |
| Colorado | $177,380 | $76,310 | $213,950 | 740 | 1.77 |
| Connecticut | $140,940 | $95,180 | $175,090 | ||
| District of Columbia | $47,760 | $47,760 | $196,310 | 820 | 8.08 |
| Florida | $147,530 | $86,660 | $195,960 | 1,950 | 1.35 |
| Georgia | $178,420 | $90,940 | $217,590 | 970 | 1.37 |
| Guam | $82,830 | $50,580 | $156,270 | 40 | 4.65 |
| Hawaii | $158,700 | $92,580 | $205,000 | 210 | 2.26 |
| Illinois | $181,560 | $83,990 | $225,680 | 990 | 1.12 |
| Indiana | $158,810 | $81,000 | $200,640 | 630 | 1.36 |
| Iowa | $90,790 | $54,930 | $121,720 | 120 | 0.55 |
| Kansas | $159,700 | $82,060 | $199,160 | 430 | 2.04 |
| Kentucky | $127,800 | $66,150 | $168,650 | 230 | 0.79 |
| Louisiana | $99,810 | $75,130 | $149,700 | 230 | 0.84 |
| Maine | $107,270 | $46,550 | $135,910 | 70 | 0.77 |
| Maryland | $131,290 | $96,600 | $169,920 | 70 | 0.18 |
| Massachusetts | $125,060 | $82,150 | $202,070 | 120 | 0.22 |
| Michigan | $118,930 | $80,430 | $205,380 | 360 | 0.56 |
| Minnesota | $176,840 | $88,940 | $218,190 | 680 | 1.6 |
| Mississippi | $88,110 | $64,380 | $127,170 | 160 | 0.92 |
| Missouri | $122,200 | $90,940 | $166,610 | 260 | 0.61 |
| Montana | $101,380 | $75,130 | $127,980 | 60 | 0.85 |
| Nebraska | $111,710 | $83,030 | $147,990 | 70 | 0.46 |
| Nevada | $140,920 | $80,600 | $200,160 | 210 | 0.93 |
| New Jersey | $132,230 | $88,460 | $209,730 | 190 | 0.3 |
| New Mexico | $148,550 | $77,400 | $187,790 | 350 | 2.78 |
| New York | $144,960 | $74,320 | $225,680 | 1,150 | 0.82 |
| North Carolina | $129,230 | $88,690 | $191,530 | 410 | 0.57 |
| North Dakota | $107,990 | $58,470 | $147,410 | 100 | 1.69 |
| Oklahoma | $123,220 | $78,340 | $169,980 | 270 | 1.08 |
| Pennsylvania | $132,350 | $81,490 | $225,680 | 460 | 0.53 |
| Puerto Rico | $125,780 | $73,130 | $172,680 | 110 | 0.79 |
| Rhode Island | $126,300 | $61,710 | $150,180 | 50 | 0.64 |
| South Carolina | $112,030 | $71,680 | $142,830 | 190 | 0.57 |
| Tennessee | $157,330 | $98,300 | $198,790 | 590 | 1.24 |
| Texas | $170,080 | $90,420 | $222,230 | 2,060 | 1.01 |
| Utah | $158,310 | $75,360 | $186,180 | 360 | 1.44 |
| Vermont | $109,140 | $90,500 | $139,810 | 30 | 0.68 |
| Virginia | $191,820 | $94,330 | $225,680 | 1,120 | 1.88 |
| Washington | $162,570 | $91,600 | $209,270 | 620 | 1.2 |
| Wyoming | $93,580 | $75,130 | $132,000 | 40 | 0.89 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for air traffic controllers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for air traffic controllers
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Air Traffic Controller CIP 49.0105
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
- Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references.
- Monitor, direct, or sequence the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety.
- Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
- Maintain radio or telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, or other area control centers to coordinate aircraft movement.
- Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.
- Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations.
- Direct pilots to runways when space is available or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Advanced technologies and oceanic procedures ATOP
- Automated radar terminal systems ARTS
- Center TRACON automation systems CTAS
- Direct-to-tool software
- En route descent advisor EDA
- Expedite departure path EDP software
- Final approach spacing tool FAST
- Flight simulation software
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Operations Monitoring.
Common job titles: ATCS (Air Traffic Control Specialist), Center ATC (Center Air Traffic Controller), Certified Professional Controller (CPC), Developmental Air Traffic Controller, Developmental ATCS (Developmental Air Traffic Control Specialist), Enroute ATCS (Enroute Air Traffic Control Specialist), Radar Air Traffic Controller, Terminal ATC Specialist (Terminal Air Traffic Control Specialist), Terminal Radar Approach Controller, Tower ATC (Tower Air Traffic Controller).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do air traffic controllers make?
The national median annual wage for air traffic controllers was $148,080 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $78,420 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $215,610. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do air traffic controllers need?
BLS lists associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and long-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is air traffic controllers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of air traffic controllers to change +1.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay air traffic controllers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Virginia ($191,820), Illinois ($181,560), Georgia ($178,420). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.