Air Traffic Controller
Salary, job outlook, education and requirements
Control air traffic on and within vicinity of airport, and movement of air traffic between altitude sectors and control centers, according to established procedures and policies. Authorize, regulate, and control commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety.
Also called: ATCS (Air Traffic Control Specialist) · Center ATC (Center Air Traffic Controller) · Certified Professional Controller (CPC) · Developmental ATCS (Developmental Air Traffic Control Specialist) · Developmental Air Traffic Controller · Enroute ATCS (Enroute Air Traffic Control Specialist) · Radar Air Traffic Controller · Terminal ATC Specialist (Terminal Air Traffic Control Specialist)
O*NET-SOC 53-2021.00 (Air Traffic Controllers)
Air Traffic Controller salary
Wages for air traffic controllers across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.
National median hourly wage: $71.19.
Air Traffic Controller pay by state
Ten largest states by population, annual wages.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $80,960 | $160,080 | $225,680 |
| Texas | $90,420 | $170,080 | $222,230 |
| Florida | $86,660 | $147,530 | $195,960 |
| New York | $74,320 | $144,960 | $225,680 |
| Pennsylvania | $81,490 | $132,350 | $225,680 |
| Illinois | $83,990 | $181,560 | $225,680 |
| Georgia | $90,940 | $178,420 | $217,590 |
| North Carolina | $88,690 | $129,230 | $191,530 |
| Michigan | $80,430 | $118,930 | $205,380 |
Air Traffic Controller job outlook
- Employment is projected to go from 24,000 jobs in 2025 to 24,400 in 2035 (2% change).
- About 2,100 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
- CareerOneStop outlook rating: Below Average.
How to become an air traffic controller
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- Work experience
- No work experience
- On-the-job training
- More than 1 year on-the-job training
Education level of current workers
- Less than high school diploma.4%
- High school diploma or equivalent13.2%
- Some college, no degree26.7%
- Associate's degree17.9%
- Bachelor's degree35.5%
- Master's degree6%
- Doctoral or professional degree.4%
Related training programs
- Air Traffic Controller
What does an air traffic controller do?
Common 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.
- Contact pilots by radio to provide meteorological, navigational, or other information.
- Determine the timing or procedures for flight vector changes.
Most important skills
- Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Speaking
- Talking to others.
- Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
- Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
- Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
Air Traffic Controller certifications
The certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.
- Federal Aviation Administration · Specialty
- Federal Aviation Administration · Advanced
Air Traffic Controller jobs
Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more air traffic control jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Air Traffic Control jobs hub.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.
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More air traffic control careers
This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Air Traffic Controllers. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.