Air Traffic Controllers
Air Traffic Controllers (SOC 53-2021) earn a median $148,080 a year ($71.19 an hour) in the United States, with 22,510 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Virginia.
What air traffic controllers do
Air traffic controllers direct aircraft on the ground at airports, in the airspace around them, and between sectors along routes. Working from airport towers and control centers, they give pilots clearances to take off, land, change altitude, or alter course, and they warn pilots about nearby traffic, weather, wind, and other hazards. As an airplane leaves one controller's airspace the controller hands it to the next facility, and accepts arriving flights in the same way. When a plane is in trouble they supply directions to a suitable field and alert airport emergency crews. The work is done by watching radar displays and flight data screens while speaking over radio, so concentration and clear speech matter more than physical effort. Airfield operations specialists, who handle airport safety and dispatch duties but do not separate traffic in the air, are a different occupation.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Access Control Specialist, Air Route Controller, Air Route Traffic Controller, Air Traffic Control Operator, Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $37.70 | $50.25 | $71.19 | $91.62 | $103.66 | $70.43 | 22,510 |
| Annual | $78,420 | $104,520 | $148,080 | $190,570 | $215,610 | $146,490 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where air traffic controllers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $45.35 | $67.54 | $92.22 | $103.06 | $108.50 | $84.49 | 1,120 | 0.27 | 1.88 |
| Annual | $94,330 | $140,480 | $191,820 | $214,360 | $225,680 | $175,740 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $40.38 | $56.49 | $87.29 | $100.69 | $108.50 | $78.94 | 990 | 0.16 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $83,990 | $117,500 | $181,560 | $209,440 | $225,680 | $164,200 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $43.72 | $60.85 | $85.78 | $95.25 | $104.61 | $79.18 | 970 | 0.20 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $90,940 | $126,570 | $178,420 | $198,120 | $217,590 | $164,700 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $36.69 | $52.40 | $85.28 | $98.15 | $102.86 | $76.34 | 740 | 0.26 | 1.77 |
| Annual | $76,310 | $108,990 | $177,380 | $204,150 | $213,950 | $158,790 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $42.76 | $58.14 | $85.02 | $96.40 | $104.90 | $78.33 | 680 | 0.23 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $88,940 | $120,940 | $176,840 | $200,510 | $218,190 | $162,920 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $38.93 | $55.68 | $76.96 | $99.84 | $108.50 | $75.44 | 2,290 | 0.13 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $80,960 | $115,810 | $160,080 | $207,670 | $225,680 | $156,910 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $43.47 | $51.92 | $81.77 | $97.40 | $106.84 | $75.18 | 2,060 | 0.15 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $90,420 | $107,990 | $170,080 | $202,590 | $222,230 | $156,370 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $41.66 | $51.92 | $70.93 | $85.78 | $94.21 | $69.30 | 1,950 | 0.20 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $86,660 | $107,990 | $147,530 | $178,420 | $195,960 | $144,140 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $35.73 | $51.06 | $69.69 | $104.12 | $108.50 | $74.36 | 1,150 | 0.12 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $74,320 | $106,200 | $144,960 | $216,570 | $225,680 | $154,660 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $45.35 | $67.54 | $92.22 | $103.06 | $108.50 | $84.49 | 1,120 | 0.27 | 1.88 |
| Annual | $94,330 | $140,480 | $191,820 | $214,360 | $225,680 | $175,740 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $45.34 | $64.11 | $95.48 | $105.37 | $108.50 | $85.22 | 220 | 0.08 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $94,310 | $133,350 | $198,590 | $219,160 | $225,680 | $177,260 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $38.85 | $67.83 | $94.37 | $100.25 | $108.50 | $83.52 | 240 | 0.22 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $80,810 | $141,090 | $196,290 | $208,520 | $225,680 | $173,710 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $49.12 | $73.67 | $92.96 | $104.84 | $108.50 | $86.21 | 430 | 0.18 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $102,170 | $153,230 | $193,360 | $218,070 | $225,680 | $179,320 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $43.12 | $69.86 | $91.24 | $100.69 | $108.50 | $83.81 | 850 | 0.19 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $89,690 | $145,310 | $189,780 | $209,440 | $225,680 | $174,320 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $53.44 | $79.99 | $89.73 | $100.66 | $104.61 | $84.71 | 810 | 0.28 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $111,160 | $166,380 | $186,640 | $209,370 | $217,590 | $176,190 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $22.96 | $22.96 | $84.07 | $99.84 | $108.50 | $69.55 | 1,800 | 0.57 | 3.96 |
| Annual | $47,760 | $47,760 | $174,870 | $207,670 | $225,680 | $144,670 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,010 | 0.11 | 0.74 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $43.12 | $69.86 | $91.24 | $100.69 | $108.50 | $83.81 | 850 | 0.19 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $89,690 | $145,310 | $189,780 | $209,440 | $225,680 | $174,320 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $53.44 | $79.99 | $89.73 | $100.66 | $104.61 | $84.71 | 810 | 0.28 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $111,160 | $166,380 | $186,640 | $209,370 | $217,590 | $176,190 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $46.66 | $69.38 | $89.67 | $97.92 | $107.55 | $83.38 | 800 | 0.20 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $97,040 | $144,310 | $186,510 | $203,670 | $223,700 | $173,430 | ||||
Top industries employing air traffic controllers
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) employ 91.2% of air traffic controllers nationally (20,530 jobs) at a median $156,250 a year ($75.12 an hour), followed by Support Activities for Air Transportation (4.8%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (0.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 20,530 | 91.2% | $156,250 | $75.12 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation NAICS 488100 | 1,080 | 4.8% | $83,890 | $40.33 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 190 | 0.8% | $83,880 | $40.33 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (22,510). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $129,750 for air traffic controllers in May 2021 and $148,080 in May 2025, with employment of 21,230 and 22,510.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $129,750 | $62.38 | 21,230 |
| May 2022 | $132,250 | $63.58 | 21,250 |
| May 2023 | $137,380 | $66.05 | 22,310 |
| May 2024 | $144,580 | $69.51 | 22,400 |
| May 2025 | $148,080 | $71.19 | 22,510 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
43 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia profile | $92.22 | $191,820 | $94,330 | $225,680 | 1,120 | 0.27 | 1.88 |
| 2 | Illinois profile | $87.29 | $181,560 | $83,990 | $225,680 | 990 | 0.16 | 1.12 |
| 3 | Georgia profile | $85.78 | $178,420 | $90,940 | $217,590 | 970 | 0.20 | 1.37 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $85.28 | $177,380 | $76,310 | $213,950 | 740 | 0.26 | 1.77 |
| 5 | Minnesota profile | $85.02 | $176,840 | $88,940 | $218,190 | 680 | 0.23 | 1.60 |
| 6 | Texas profile | $81.77 | $170,080 | $90,420 | $222,230 | 2,060 | 0.15 | 1.01 |
| 7 | Washington profile | $78.16 | $162,570 | $91,600 | $209,270 | 620 | 0.17 | 1.20 |
| 8 | California profile | $76.96 | $160,080 | $80,960 | $225,680 | 2,290 | 0.13 | 0.87 |
| 9 | Kansas profile | $76.78 | $159,700 | $82,060 | $199,160 | 430 | 0.30 | 2.04 |
| 10 | Indiana profile | $76.35 | $158,810 | $81,000 | $200,640 | 630 | 0.20 | 1.36 |
| 11 | Hawaii profile | $76.30 | $158,700 | $92,580 | $205,000 | 210 | 0.33 | 2.26 |
| 12 | Utah profile | $76.11 | $158,310 | $75,360 | $186,180 | 360 | 0.21 | 1.44 |
| 13 | Tennessee profile | $75.64 | $157,330 | $98,300 | $198,790 | 590 | 0.18 | 1.24 |
| 14 | New Mexico profile | $71.42 | $148,550 | $77,400 | $187,790 | 350 | 0.40 | 2.78 |
| 15 | Florida profile | $70.93 | $147,530 | $86,660 | $195,960 | 1,950 | 0.20 | 1.35 |
| 16 | New York profile | $69.69 | $144,960 | $74,320 | $225,680 | 1,150 | 0.12 | 0.82 |
| 17 | Connecticut profile | $67.76 | $140,940 | $95,180 | $175,090 | ** | ** | ** |
| 18 | Nevada profile | $67.75 | $140,920 | $80,600 | $200,160 | 210 | 0.13 | 0.93 |
| 19 | Arizona profile | $65.77 | $136,800 | $86,630 | $195,980 | 380 | 0.12 | 0.81 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania profile | $63.63 | $132,350 | $81,490 | $225,680 | 460 | 0.08 | 0.53 |
| 21 | New Jersey profile | $63.57 | $132,230 | $88,460 | $209,730 | 190 | 0.04 | 0.30 |
| 22 | Maryland profile | $63.12 | $131,290 | $96,600 | $169,920 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.18 |
| 23 | North Carolina profile | $62.13 | $129,230 | $88,690 | $191,530 | 410 | 0.08 | 0.57 |
| 24 | Kentucky profile | $61.44 | $127,800 | $66,150 | $168,650 | 230 | 0.11 | 0.79 |
| 25 | Rhode Island profile | $60.72 | $126,300 | $61,710 | $150,180 | 50 | 0.09 | 0.64 |
| 26 | Massachusetts profile | $60.13 | $125,060 | $82,150 | $202,070 | 120 | 0.03 | 0.22 |
| 27 | Alaska profile | $59.59 | $123,950 | $66,800 | $191,690 | 490 | 1.50 | 10.35 |
| 28 | Oklahoma profile | $59.24 | $123,220 | $78,340 | $169,980 | 270 | 0.16 | 1.08 |
| 29 | Missouri profile | $58.75 | $122,200 | $90,940 | $166,610 | 260 | 0.09 | 0.61 |
| 30 | Michigan profile | $57.18 | $118,930 | $80,430 | $205,380 | 360 | 0.08 | 0.56 |
| 31 | Alabama profile | $55.27 | $114,960 | $79,420 | $159,640 | 240 | 0.12 | 0.79 |
| 32 | South Carolina profile | $53.86 | $112,030 | $71,680 | $142,830 | 190 | 0.08 | 0.57 |
| 33 | Nebraska profile | $53.71 | $111,710 | $83,030 | $147,990 | 70 | 0.07 | 0.46 |
| 34 | Arkansas profile | $52.77 | $109,760 | $76,360 | $134,430 | 80 | 0.06 | 0.44 |
| 35 | Vermont profile | $52.47 | $109,140 | $90,500 | $139,810 | 30 | 0.10 | 0.68 |
| 36 | North Dakota profile | $51.92 | $107,990 | $58,470 | $147,410 | 100 | 0.25 | 1.69 |
| 37 | Maine profile | $51.57 | $107,270 | $46,550 | $135,910 | 70 | 0.11 | 0.77 |
| 38 | Montana profile | $48.74 | $101,380 | $75,130 | $127,980 | 60 | 0.12 | 0.85 |
| 39 | Louisiana profile | $47.99 | $99,810 | $75,130 | $149,700 | 230 | 0.12 | 0.84 |
| 40 | Wyoming profile | $44.99 | $93,580 | $75,130 | $132,000 | 40 | 0.13 | 0.89 |
| 41 | Iowa profile | $43.65 | $90,790 | $54,930 | $121,720 | 120 | 0.08 | 0.55 |
| 42 | Mississippi profile | $42.36 | $88,110 | $64,380 | $127,170 | 160 | 0.13 | 0.92 |
| 43 | District of Columbia profile | $22.96 | $47,760 | $47,760 | $196,310 | 820 | 1.17 | 8.08 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (53-2020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-2021 Air Traffic Controllers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-2021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-2021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.