Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$78,420
- 25th Percentile — Junior$104,520
- 50th Percentile — Median$148,080
- 75th Percentile — Senior$190,570
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$215,610
The top 10% of Air Traffic Controllers earn $215,610 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $78,420, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $175,740 | +20.0% |
| New Hampshire (est.) | $166,999 | +14.0% |
| Georgia | $164,700 | +12.4% |
| Illinois | $164,200 | +12.1% |
| Oregon (est.) | $164,069 | +12.0% |
| Minnesota | $162,920 | +11.2% |
| Colorado | $158,790 | +8.4% |
| California | $156,910 | +7.1% |
| Texas | $156,370 | +6.7% |
| New York | $154,660 | +5.6% |
| Washington | $154,320 | +5.3% |
| Delaware (est.) | $153,814 | +5.0% |
| Hawaii | $151,040 | +3.1% |
| Kansas | $149,440 | +2.0% |
| Tennessee | $149,020 | +1.7% |
| Utah | $147,710 | +0.8% |
| Indiana | $145,010 | -1.0% |
| Florida | $144,140 | -1.6% |
| Nevada | $143,990 | -1.7% |
| Pennsylvania | $143,180 | -2.3% |
| Connecticut | $141,920 | -3.1% |
| Arizona | $140,340 | -4.2% |
| New Mexico | $140,280 | -4.2% |
| New Jersey | $139,660 | -4.7% |
| North Carolina | $136,490 | -6.8% |
| Idaho (est.) | $136,236 | -7.0% |
| Maryland | $136,220 | -7.0% |
| Wisconsin (est.) | $134,771 | -8.0% |
| Michigan | $134,670 | -8.1% |
| Massachusetts | $132,750 | -9.4% |
| Alaska | $130,420 | -11.0% |
| Ohio (est.) | $128,911 | -12.0% |
| South Dakota (est.) | $127,446 | -13.0% |
| Missouri | $125,950 | -14.0% |
| Oklahoma | $125,280 | -14.5% |
| Kentucky | $121,910 | -16.8% |
| Rhode Island | $120,870 | -17.5% |
| Alabama | $117,540 | -19.8% |
| West Virginia (est.) | $114,262 | -22.0% |
| Nebraska | $113,210 | -22.7% |
| South Carolina | $110,990 | -24.2% |
| Vermont | $109,830 | -25.0% |
| Arkansas | $108,570 | -25.9% |
| North Dakota | $106,930 | -27.0% |
| Louisiana | $106,280 | -27.4% |
| Montana | $98,700 | -32.6% |
| Wyoming | $97,300 | -33.6% |
| District of Columbia | $96,410 | -34.2% |
| Mississippi | $93,850 | -35.9% |
| Maine | $93,400 | -36.2% |
| Iowa | $91,670 | -37.4% |
What Factors Affect Air Traffic Controllers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Air Traffic Controllers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Virginia pays an average of $175,740, while Iowa pays $91,670 — a gap of $84,070 per year.
The middle half of Air Traffic Controllers earn between $104,520 and $190,570 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $78,420, while the top 10% earn more than $215,610.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $59,710/yr United States 59.2% vs this role
- Airline Pilots Copilots and Flight Engineers $288,650/yr United States +97.0% vs this role
- Commercial Pilots $146,080/yr United States 0.3% vs this role
- Light Truck Drivers $48,770/yr United States 66.7% vs this role
- Driver Sales Workers $40,730/yr United States 72.2% vs this role
- Locomotive Engineers $85,900/yr United States 41.4% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 30.8% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States 6.3% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Air Traffic Controllers?
The average salary for Air Traffic Controllers in the United States is $146,490 per year, with a median of $148,080.
What is the starting salary for Air Traffic Controllers?
Entry-level Air Traffic Controllers typically earn between $78,420 and $104,520 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Air Traffic Controllers the most?
Virginia pays Air Traffic Controllers the most at $175,740 per year on average, followed by Georgia ($164,700) and Illinois ($164,200).
How much do Air Traffic Controllers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $146,490, Air Traffic Controllers earn approximately $70.43 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Air Traffic Controllers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 22,510 Air Traffic Controllers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $146,490 and a median of $148,080 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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