How Much Do Air Traffic Controllers Make a Year? ATC Salary Calculator

Air traffic controllers earned a median salary of $148,080 in May 2025 ($71.19 an hour), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' count of 22,510. The bottom tenth earned under $78,420 and the top tenth over $215,610; new hires spend more than a year as developmental controllers before they are fully certified (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Overtime and night and holiday premiums come on top.

Air traffic controllers: pay at every level

This is the BLS line for air traffic controllers (SOC 53-2021), mostly federal employees, plus the small number working for private air-transportation support companies. BLS releases state figures only where enough controllers work to publish them. Take-home assumes a single filer with 2026 federal tax and FICA and no state tax.

Air traffic controller pay by state

Virginia ($191,820), Illinois ($181,560) and Georgia ($178,420) have the highest medians; California (2,290 controllers, $160,080) and Texas ($170,080) employ the most. BLS releases figures for 43 states. The District of Columbia's $47,760 is the lowest — far below every state — so check its employment count in the table before reading much into it.

Which employers pay air traffic controllers most

The federal government, which employs 92% of controllers, pays a median of $156,250; support companies for air transportation pay $83,890 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).

A air traffic controller's schedule

Most controllers work full time, and the FAA regulates their hours: no more than 10 straight hours on a shift, breaks included, and 9 hours of rest before the next. Towers at major airports run around the clock, so controllers there rotate through day, evening and night shifts, weekends and holidays; quieter airports may close overnight and keep standard schedules (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).

Overtime for air traffic controllers

The federal government employs 92% of air traffic controllers, mostly at the FAA (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook), so their pay, including any overtime, night and holiday premiums, follows federal pay rules rather than a private employer's policy. BLS's figures leave out overtime, shift differentials and holiday premiums (BLS OEWS FAQ), so controllers at busy facilities that work extra shifts earn more than the median below.

Training, licenses and pay

Candidates typically need an associate's or bachelor's degree from an FAA-approved Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative program, several years of progressively responsible work experience, or a mix. They must be U.S. citizens, pass a medical exam, background check and the FAA's pre-employment tests, apply before the FAA's age cutoff, and complete the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, then over a year of on-the-job training as developmental controllers. Controllers pass a physical every year and a performance exam twice a year, and must retire at 56 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).

Related tools and guides

More ways to work with your air traffic controller pay:

• Take-home pay calculator (2026 federal tax)
• Retirement savings calculator
• Side hustles for veterans
• Pay raise calculator
• Hourly pay by job: all the BLS pay calculators