Air traffic controller earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level air traffic controller earnings begin at:

$66.97 per hour

$139,290 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level air traffic controller earnings begin at:

$58.33 per hour

$121,320 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level air traffic controller earnings begin at:

$50.35 per hour

$104,730 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level air traffic controller earnings begin at:

$40.17 per hour

$83,550 per year

10th percentile

Starting level air traffic controller earnings begin at:

$34.26 per hour

$71,270 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Air traffic controller salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Michigan $99,360
Massachusetts $98,940
Wisconsin $98,860
Puerto Rico $98,770
Alaska $93,215
Arizona $92,489
Oregon $92,030
Arkansas $91,300
South Carolina $90,400
North Dakota $89,910
Nebraska $89,450
Guam $84,900
Mississippi $82,700
Louisiana $82,630
Iowa $82,460
Idaho $81,118
Connecticut $80,790
South Dakota $79,120
West Virginia $76,220
Vermont $75,970
Montana $71,390
Alabama $60,108
District of Columbia $24,080
Virginia $150,880
New Hampshire $146,080
Georgia $145,770
Texas $142,980
California $141,970
Minnesota $141,360
Ohio $139,970
Colorado $136,610
New York $135,230
Kansas $133,040
Tennessee $130,130
Illinois $127,438
Nevada $127,290
Utah $125,600
Washington $125,330
Florida $123,940
Indiana $122,470
New Mexico $122,090
New Jersey $117,950
Maryland $117,600
Pennsylvania $115,040
Oklahoma $109,230
Kentucky $104,730
Hawaii $103,380
Rhode Island $101,450
North Carolina $100,710
Missouri $100,280

How do air traffic controller salaries compare to similar careers?

Air traffic controllers earn 22% more than similar careers in Kentucky. On average, they make more than shipmates.

Career Median Salary
Air traffic controller salary $105K
Ship engineer salary $82K
Aircraft mechanic salary $72K
Ship captain salary $62K
Shipmate salary $62K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)