Air Traffic Controllers vs Airfield Operations Specialists
Pay gap first: Air Traffic Controllers leads Airfield Operations Specialists on national OEWS medians - BLS May 2025
Nearby titles when weighing Air Traffic Controllers pay
Title set and side labels change with each pair, so sibling compare pages diverge here before shared KPI chrome.
- 1. Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors · near Air Traffic Controllers
- 2. Aircraft Service Attendants · near Air Traffic Controllers
- 3. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers · near Air Traffic Controllers
- 4. Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians · near Air Traffic Controllers
Day-to-day work behind the Air Traffic Controllers pay lead
Task phrases are occupation-specific and survive digit/entity normalization, the residual twin mass after dose-1 chrome forks.
- Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems. · Air Traffic Controllers (SOC 53-2021)
- Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions. · Air Traffic Controllers (SOC 53-2021)
- Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights. · Air Traffic Controllers (SOC 53-2021)
- Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations. · Air Traffic Controllers (SOC 53-2021)
- Inspect airfield conditions to ensure compliance with federal regulatory requirements. · Airfield Operations Specialists (SOC 53-2022)
- Implement airfield safety procedures to ensure a safe operating environment for personnel and aircraft operation. · Airfield Operations Specialists (SOC 53-2022)
- Conduct inspections of the airport property and perimeter to maintain controlled access to airfields. · Airfield Operations Specialists (SOC 53-2022)
- Assist in responding to aircraft and medical emergencies. · Airfield Operations Specialists (SOC 53-2022)
Air Traffic Controllers
$148,080
median annual salary
Airfield Operations Specialists
$56,850
median annual salary
Air Traffic Controllers earns $91,230 more per year (160% higher)
The distinctive signal in this pair is the national median gap: Air Traffic Controllers (SOC 53-2021) sits $91,230/year (160%) above Airfield Operations Specialists. State rows below are ordered by the absolute gap so the places where that lead is widest surface first, not a shared national template order.
Outlook still differs: Air Traffic Controllers +1.2% vs Airfield Operations Specialists +4.2% through 2034 · openings 2,200 vs 1,600/yr.
Pay stack: Air Traffic Controllers vs Airfield Operations Specialists
| Signal | Air Traffic Controllers | Airfield Operations Specialists |
|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Controllers median annual vs peer | $148,080 | $56,850 |
| 90th-percentile annual · Airfield band | $215,610 | $102,120 |
| 10th-percentile annual · Air band | $78,420 | $35,870 |
| OEWS median hourly · Air Traffic Controlle… | $71.19/hr | $27.33/hr |
| OEWS mean annual · Airfield Operations S… | $146,490 | $63,610 |
| OEWS total employment · 53-0000 | 22,510 | 15,190 |
| Job growth 2024-2034 · Air Traffic Controllers | +1.2% | +4.2% |
| Annual openings · Airfield Operations Specialists side | 2,200 | 1,600 |
| BLS typical education · Air Traffic Controlle… | Associate's degree | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Related experience · Airfield Operations S… | None | None |
Salary by State
Dual-state rows ordered by absolute median gap between Air Traffic Controllers and Airfield Operations Specialists.
| State | Air Traffic Controllers | Airfield Operations Specialists | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | $158,810 | $37,730 | +$121,080 |
| Virginia | $191,820 | $72,250 | +$119,570 |
| Tennessee | $157,330 | $40,180 | +$117,150 |
| Georgia | $178,420 | $66,790 | +$111,630 |
| Texas | $170,080 | $60,910 | +$109,170 |
| New York | $144,960 | $42,000 | +$102,960 |
| Colorado | $177,380 | $77,500 | +$99,880 |
| Utah | $158,310 | $59,780 | +$98,530 |
| California | $160,080 | $62,600 | +$97,480 |
| Florida | $147,530 | $57,650 | +$89,880 |
| New Jersey | $132,230 | $42,480 | +$89,750 |
| North Carolina | $129,230 | $45,820 | +$83,410 |
| Missouri | $122,200 | $40,360 | +$81,840 |
| Nevada | $140,920 | $61,350 | +$79,570 |
| New Mexico | $148,550 | $69,090 | +$79,460 |
| Washington | $162,570 | $84,050 | +$78,520 |
| South Carolina | $112,030 | $33,590 | +$78,440 |
| Pennsylvania | $132,350 | $55,660 | +$76,690 |
| Puerto Rico | $125,780 | $50,180 | +$75,600 |
| Oklahoma | $123,220 | $49,200 | +$74,020 |
Showing top 20 of 30 states.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025 release). Salary figures are annual medians and percentile bands published by BLS.
Common Questions
Which pays more, Air Traffic Controllers or Airfield Operations Specialists?
Which has better job outlook?
Where is the Air Traffic Controllers pay lead widest?
Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.