53 Series · SOC 53-2021
Air Traffic Controllers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $148,080
- Median / year
- $215,610
- Top 10% earn
- +1.2%
- Growth '23–'33
- 22,510
- US workers
Air Traffic Controllers earn a median of $148,080 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $148,080, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $78,420 (10th percentile) to $215,610 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 22,510 US workers. Virginia pays the most ($191,820), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Air Traffic Controllers earn a median of $148,080, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 95% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #2 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.2% by 2033.
- $148,080
- Median annual wage
- Top 5%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #2 of 50
- in Transportation and Material Moving
- 2.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Virginia at $191,820. Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
Air Traffic Controllers (SOC 53-2021) pays a national median of $148,080 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $78,420 at the 10th percentile to $215,610 at the 90th, with a mean of $146,490 indicating a compressed distribution clustered near the median. An estimated 22,510 Americans work in this occupation across 45 reporting states and 40 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,200 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Associate's degree and long-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of C for this role, with a fatality rate of 17.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 4.8 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Virginia pays the highest state median at $191,820, which is +30% above the national figure. The top metro is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD at $198,590 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$148,080
per year
Median Hourly
$71.19/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$146,490
average
Employment
22,510
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Air Traffic Controllers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$148,080 Top 5% higher than 95% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 53-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Air Traffic Controllers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Air Traffic Controllers sits on the slower-growing side at +1.2% growth and $148,080 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1.2%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
2,200
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Associate's degree
On-the-Job Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Moderate Risk
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
17.5/100K
Injury Rate
4.8/100
Danger Index
28/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Air Traffic Controllers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Monitor or direct the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety.
- ▸ Direct pilots to runways when space is available or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land.
- ▸ Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references.
- ▸ Direct ground traffic, including taxiing aircraft, maintenance or baggage vehicles, or airport workers.
- ▸ Contact pilots by radio to provide meteorological, navigational, or other information.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$78,420
25th Percentile
$104,520
Median
$148,080
75th Percentile
$190,570
90th Percentile
$215,610
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $191,820 | +30% above national |
| 2 | Illinois | $181,560 | +23% above national |
| 3 | Georgia | $178,420 | +20% above national |
| 4 | Colorado | $177,380 | +20% above national |
| 5 | Minnesota | $176,840 | +19% above national |
| 6 | Texas | $170,080 | +15% above national |
| 7 | Washington | $162,570 | +10% above national |
| 8 | California | $160,080 | +8% above national |
| 9 | Kansas | $159,700 | +8% above national |
| 10 | Indiana | $158,810 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Hawaii | $158,700 | +7% above national |
| 12 | Utah | $158,310 | +7% above national |
| 13 | Tennessee | $157,330 | +6% above national |
| 14 | New Mexico | $148,550 | same as national |
| 15 | Florida | $147,530 | same as national |
| 16 | New York | $144,960 | 2% below national |
| 17 | Connecticut | $140,940 | 5% below national |
| 18 | Nevada | $140,920 | 5% below national |
| 19 | Arizona | $136,800 | 8% below national |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $132,350 | 11% below national |
| 21 | New Jersey | $132,230 | 11% below national |
| 22 | Maryland | $131,290 | 11% below national |
| 23 | North Carolina | $129,230 | 13% below national |
| 24 | Kentucky | $127,800 | 14% below national |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $126,300 | 15% below national |
| 26 | Puerto Rico | $125,780 | 15% below national |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $125,060 | 16% below national |
| 28 | Alaska | $123,950 | 16% below national |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $123,220 | 17% below national |
| 30 | Missouri | $122,200 | 17% below national |
| 31 | Michigan | $118,930 | 20% below national |
| 32 | Alabama | $114,960 | 22% below national |
| 33 | South Carolina | $112,030 | 24% below national |
| 34 | Nebraska | $111,710 | 25% below national |
| 35 | Arkansas | $109,760 | 26% below national |
| 36 | Vermont | $109,140 | 26% below national |
| 37 | North Dakota | $107,990 | 27% below national |
| 38 | Maine | $107,270 | 28% below national |
| 39 | Montana | $101,380 | 32% below national |
| 40 | Louisiana | $99,810 | 33% below national |
| 41 | Wyoming | $93,580 | 37% below national |
| 42 | Iowa | $90,790 | 39% below national |
| 43 | Mississippi | $88,110 | 40% below national |
| 44 | Guam | $82,830 | 44% below national |
| 45 | District of Columbia | $47,760 | 68% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 40 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $198,590 | +34% above national |
| 2 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $196,290 | +33% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $193,360 | +31% above national |
| 4 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $189,780 | +28% above national |
| 5 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $186,640 | +26% above national |
| 6 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $186,510 | +26% above national |
| 7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $179,670 | +21% above national |
| 8 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $178,310 | +20% above national |
| 9 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $175,280 | +18% above national |
| 10 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $174,870 | +18% above national |
| 11 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $173,020 | +17% above national |
| 12 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $171,910 | +16% above national |
| 13 | Jacksonville, FL | $170,120 | +15% above national |
| 14 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $162,140 | +9% above national |
| 15 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $161,700 | +9% above national |
| 16 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $161,640 | +9% above national |
| 17 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $161,220 | +9% above national |
| 18 | Anchorage, AK | $160,970 | +9% above national |
| 19 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $155,540 | +5% above national |
| 20 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $155,500 | +5% above national |
| 21 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $150,700 | +2% above national |
| 22 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $147,800 | same as national |
| 23 | Oklahoma City, OK | $146,520 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $142,880 | 4% below national |
| 25 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $136,240 | 8% below national |
| 26 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $135,720 | 8% below national |
| 27 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $134,700 | 9% below national |
| 28 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $127,630 | 14% below national |
| 29 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $126,300 | 15% below national |
| 30 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $125,780 | 15% below national |
| 31 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $121,660 | 18% below national |
| 32 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $119,230 | 19% below national |
| 33 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $109,140 | 26% below national |
| 34 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $108,600 | 27% below national |
| 35 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $103,230 | 30% below national |
| 36 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $99,800 | 33% below national |
| 37 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $94,930 | 36% below national |
| 38 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $94,140 | 36% below national |
| 39 | Jackson, MS | $91,710 | 38% below national |
| 40 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $83,250 | 44% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 53 (transportation and material moving) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Air Traffic Controllers make? ▼
What state pays Air Traffic Controllers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Air Traffic Controllers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Air Traffic Controllers? ▼
Is Air Traffic Controllers a good career? ▼
How does Air Traffic Controllers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Air Traffic Controllers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Air Traffic Controllers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $190,570/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Virginia leads at $191,820/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.