Air Traffic Controllers pay in the U.S.
$146,490avg. a year
$70.43 an hour · 22,510 employed
Air Traffic Controllers in the U.S. earn an average of $146,490 a year and a median of $148,080. Pay is highest in Virginia ($175,740) and lowest in Iowa ($91,670).
$148,080Median pay
$70.43Average hourly
+15%Avg. pay since 2020
22,510Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for air traffic controllers
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
11,120 jobs
Virginia
$175,740
$84.49 an hour
2970 jobs
Georgia
$164,700
$79.18 an hour
3990 jobs
Illinois
$164,200
$78.94 an hour
4680 jobs
Minnesota
$162,920
$78.33 an hour
5740 jobs
Colorado
$158,790
$76.34 an hour
62,290 jobs
California
$156,910
$75.44 an hour
72,060 jobs
Texas
$156,370
$75.18 an hour
81,150 jobs
New York
$154,660
$74.36 an hour
9620 jobs
Washington
$154,320
$74.19 an hour
10210 jobs
Hawaii
$151,040
$72.61 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Air Traffic Controllers pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $111k$111k–$136k$136k–$149k$149k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $179,320 | $86.21 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $177,260 | $85.22 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $176,190 | $84.71 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $174,320 | $83.81 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $173,710 | $83.52 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $173,430 | $83.38 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $169,370 | $81.43 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $163,230 | $78.48 |
Related jobs
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Air Traffic Controllers pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $117,540 | $114,960 | 240 |
| Alaska | $130,420 | $123,950 | 490 |
| Arizona | $140,340 | $136,800 | 380 |
| Arkansas | $108,570 | $109,760 | 80 |
| California | $156,910 | $160,080 | 2,290 |
| Colorado | $158,790 | $177,380 | 740 |
| Connecticut | $141,920 | $140,940 | – |
| District of Columbia | $96,410 | $47,760 | 820 |
| Florida | $144,140 | $147,530 | 1,950 |
| Georgia | $164,700 | $178,420 | 970 |
| Hawaii | $151,040 | $158,700 | 210 |
| Illinois | $164,200 | $181,560 | 990 |
| Indiana | $145,010 | $158,810 | 630 |
| Iowa | $91,670 | $90,790 | 120 |
| Kansas | $149,440 | $159,700 | 430 |
| Kentucky | $121,910 | $127,800 | 230 |
| Louisiana | $106,280 | $99,810 | 230 |
| Maine | $93,400 | $107,270 | 70 |
| Maryland | $136,220 | $131,290 | 70 |
| Massachusetts | $132,750 | $125,060 | 120 |
| Michigan | $134,670 | $118,930 | 360 |
| Minnesota | $162,920 | $176,840 | 680 |
| Mississippi | $93,850 | $88,110 | 160 |
| Missouri | $125,950 | $122,200 | 260 |
| Montana | $98,700 | $101,380 | 60 |
| Nebraska | $113,210 | $111,710 | 70 |
| Nevada | $143,990 | $140,920 | 210 |
| New Jersey | $139,660 | $132,230 | 190 |
| New Mexico | $140,280 | $148,550 | 350 |
| New York | $154,660 | $144,960 | 1,150 |
| North Carolina | $136,490 | $129,230 | 410 |
| North Dakota | $106,930 | $107,990 | 100 |
| Oklahoma | $125,280 | $123,220 | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $143,180 | $132,350 | 460 |
| Rhode Island | $120,870 | $126,300 | 50 |
| South Carolina | $110,990 | $112,030 | 190 |
| Tennessee | $149,020 | $157,330 | 590 |
| Texas | $156,370 | $170,080 | 2,060 |
| Utah | $147,710 | $158,310 | 360 |
| Vermont | $109,830 | $109,140 | 30 |
| Virginia | $175,740 | $191,820 | 1,120 |
| Washington | $154,320 | $162,570 | 620 |
| Wyoming | $97,300 | $93,580 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$144,670
1,800 jobsChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$174,320
850 jobsAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$176,190
810 jobsDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
$173,430
800 jobsMiami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
$154,760
720 jobsLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$156,650
690 jobsMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$169,370
620 jobsSeattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$163,230
510 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do air traffic controllers make?
The average is $146,490 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $148,080 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $70.43, and the median is $71.19 an hour.
Which state pays air traffic controllers the most?
Virginia, with an average of $175,740 a year. The best-paying metro area is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $179,320.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $78,420 a year, and the top 10% earn over $215,610.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 53-2021. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.