Average Salary for Air Traffic Controllers
SOC 53-2021 · Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Air Traffic Controllers in the United States is $144,580 ($69.51/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $76,090 at the 10th percentile to $210,410 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 22,400 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 17.6% since 2019.
Median Annual
$144,580
Mean Annual
$142,740
10th Pct
$76,090
75th Pct
$186,510
Employment
22,400
Salary Distribution
$76k
10th
$101k
25th
$145k
Median
$187k
75th
$210k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $192,500 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $188,930 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $184,930 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $182,890 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $182,310 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $181,200 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $180,090 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $178,920 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $176,110 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $172,490 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $169,350 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $169,230 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $166,940 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $164,240 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $159,120 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Virginia | $185,890 |
| Minnesota | $176,030 |
| Illinois | $175,090 |
| Georgia | $174,600 |
| Colorado | $172,310 |
| Texas | $167,710 |
| Washington | $164,070 |
| Kansas | $156,620 |
| Utah | $156,120 |
| Indiana | $155,790 |
| Tennessee | $153,670 |
| California | $152,010 |
| Nevada | $147,700 |
| New Mexico | $145,290 |
| Florida | $144,710 |
| New York | $142,190 |
| Hawaii | $142,040 |
| New Jersey | $135,470 |
| Arizona | $130,960 |
| Pennsylvania | $129,310 |
| Kentucky | $126,550 |
| Rhode Island | $123,610 |
| Connecticut | $121,910 |
| Oklahoma | $121,580 |
| North Dakota | $121,470 |
| North Carolina | $120,580 |
| Alaska | $120,370 |
| Puerto Rico | $119,560 |
| Idaho | $117,150 |
| Missouri | $115,440 |
| Maryland | $114,620 |
| Michigan | $113,650 |
| Oregon | $113,030 |
| Alabama | $112,740 |
| Nebraska | $108,990 |
| Guam | $108,200 |
| South Carolina | $107,330 |
| Wisconsin | $106,750 |
| Massachusetts | $103,230 |
| Louisiana | $99,670 |
| Arkansas | $99,490 |
| South Dakota | $98,530 |
| Iowa | $95,200 |
| Mississippi | $91,480 |
| Wyoming | $89,650 |
| West Virginia | $86,390 |
| District of Columbia | $35,940 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $144,580 |
| 2023 | $137,380 |
| 2022 | $132,250 |
| 2021 | $129,750 |
| 2020 | $130,420 |
| 2019 | $122,990 |