Air Traffic Controllers salary
Air Traffic Controllers earn a median of $148,080 a year ($71.19/hr) in the U.S. – from $47,760 in District of Columbia to $191,820 in Virginia. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$71.19/hr · $148,080 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$78,420$37.70/hr
75% earn more$104,520$50.25/hr
half earn more, half less$148,080$71.19/hr
25% earn more$190,570$91.62/hr
top 10% earn more$215,610$103.66/hr
pulled up by top earners$146,490$70.43/hr
How does my pay compare?
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Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for air traffic controllers. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
1,120 jobs · $92.22/hr$191,820
990 jobs · $87.29/hr$181,560
970 jobs · $85.78/hr$178,420
740 jobs · $85.28/hr$177,380
680 jobs · $85.02/hr$176,840
2,060 jobs · $81.77/hr$170,080
620 jobs · $78.16/hr$162,570
2,290 jobs · $76.96/hr$160,080
430 jobs · $76.78/hr$159,700
630 jobs · $76.35/hr$158,810
210 jobs · $76.30/hr$158,700
360 jobs · $76.11/hr$158,310
590 jobs · $75.64/hr$157,330
350 jobs · $71.42/hr$148,550
1,950 jobs · $70.93/hr$147,530
1,150 jobs · $69.69/hr$144,960
jobs n/a · $67.76/hr$140,940
210 jobs · $67.75/hr$140,920
380 jobs · $65.77/hr$136,800
460 jobs · $63.63/hr$132,350
190 jobs · $63.57/hr$132,230
70 jobs · $63.12/hr$131,290
410 jobs · $62.13/hr$129,230
230 jobs · $61.44/hr$127,800
50 jobs · $60.72/hr$126,300
110 jobs · $60.47/hr$125,780
120 jobs · $60.13/hr$125,060
490 jobs · $59.59/hr$123,950
270 jobs · $59.24/hr$123,220
260 jobs · $58.75/hr$122,200
360 jobs · $57.18/hr$118,930
240 jobs · $55.27/hr$114,960
190 jobs · $53.86/hr$112,030
70 jobs · $53.71/hr$111,710
80 jobs · $52.77/hr$109,760
30 jobs · $52.47/hr$109,140
100 jobs · $51.92/hr$107,990
70 jobs · $51.57/hr$107,270
60 jobs · $48.74/hr$101,380
230 jobs · $47.99/hr$99,810
40 jobs · $44.99/hr$93,580
120 jobs · $43.65/hr$90,790
160 jobs · $42.36/hr$88,110
820 jobs · $22.96/hr$47,760
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 53-2021. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do air traffic controllers make?
The median wage for air traffic controllers in the U.S. was $71.19 an hour or $148,080 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $104,520 and $190,570 a year.
Which state pays air traffic controllers the most?
Virginia has the highest median wage for air traffic controllers: $191,820 a year. The lowest published median is in District of Columbia at $47,760. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many air traffic controllers are there?
BLS estimates 22,510 air traffic controllers were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.