Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions.
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.
Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
Top skills:Active ListeningSpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingMonitoringComplex Problem Solving
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Air Traffic Controller pay by experience level
Entry level$81,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$108,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$153,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$197,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$223,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+1.2%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
2,200
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Air Traffic Controller salary by industry
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
20,740 workers
$156,000
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
20,530 workers
$157,000
Support Activities for Transportation
1,150 workers
$83,500
Support Activities for Air Transportation
1,080 workers
$85,500
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
190 workers
$85,000
Educational Services
40 workers
$62,000
Educational Services, Privately Owned
40 workers
$62,000
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services$168,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $130,420 to $148,080.
+13.5% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$81,000
Early career25th percentile
$108,000
Median50th percentile
$153,500
Experienced75th percentile
$197,000
Top earners90th percentile
$223,000
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
Active ListeningSpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingMonitoringComplex Problem Solving
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions.
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.
Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$151,500
2027$157,000
2028$162,500
2029$168,000
2030$174,000
2031$180,000
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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The median market pay for a Air Traffic Controller in the United States is about $151,500 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Air Traffic Controller?
Most Air Traffic Controller pay falls between about $108,000 (25th percentile) and $197,000 (75th percentile), with top earners above $223,000.
What does a Air Traffic Controller do?
Core responsibilities include: inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems; and issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions.
Is pay for Air Traffic Controller roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $130,420 in 2020 to $148,080 in 2025, a change of +13.5% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Air Traffic Controller pays 120% above the average across 53 roles in the Transportation and Material Moving job family (family average $69,000).
Similar-paying roles in Transportation and Material Moving
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Air Traffic Controller make?
The average base salary for a Air Traffic Controller in the United States is $151,500 per year, or about $72.84 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $108,000 and $197,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Transportation and Material Moving roles?
The Transportation and Material Moving job family averages $69,000 across 53 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Air Traffic Controller pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
