Entry-Level Air Traffic Controller Salary (2026): What New ATCs Actually Make

The average entry-level air traffic controller salary is $90,104 per year ($43.32/hour) in 2026, based on the 10th percentile of BLS wage data. New ATC trainees start at FAA Academy ($46,000–$55,000); journeymen at $38,002 to $123,520 in New York, NY — driven by FAA hiring pipeline, FAA Academy Oklahoma City completion, CTI vs off-the-street hire, facility level, locality pay, and CIC / TMC specialty progression.

$90,104

Avg Starting Salary

$43.32

Starting Hourly

$151,886

Median Target

1661+

Cities Tracked

2019 BLS

$68,330

2025 BLS

$78,420

2026 Current Est.

$80,435

2019–2027 Growth

+20.7%

National Entry-Level Air Traffic Controller Salary Trend (10th Percentile)

2019–2025: BLS OEWS actual data. 2026+: CAGR 2.57% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Entry-Level Salary (P10)	Status
2019	$68,330	Actual
2020	$72,760	Actual
2021	$71,880	Actual
2022	$73,590	Actual
2023	$76,190	Actual
2024	$76,090	Actual
2025	$78,420	Actual
2026(current)	$80,435	Estimated
2027	$82,503	Projected

Entry-level air traffic controller salaries (10th percentile) have shown consistent growth over 7 years of BLS data. The 10th percentile represents typical starting pay for new graduates and early-career professionals. At the current 2.57% CAGR, starting salaries are projected to continue rising through 2027.

Note: BLS actual data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Estimated and projected values are calculated using a 2.57% historical CAGR. Actual compensation may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Starting Air Traffic Controller Salary by State

Entry-level air traffic controller pay varies dramatically by state. The top-paying states offer starting salaries well above $90,104, while others fall below the national average. Here are all 52 states ranked by average starting salary for air traffic controllers.

#	State	Avg Starting Pay	Median Target	Growth Potential	Cities
1	New York	$121,240	$208,966	+$87,726	38
2	Hawaii	$105,368	$181,668	+$76,300	9
3	Georgia	$102,361	$173,283	+$70,922	39
4	New Jersey	$101,954	$175,721	+$73,767	61
5	Washington	$96,814	$170,777	+$73,963	49
6	Colorado	$96,586	$166,482	+$69,896	32
7	Minnesota	$96,113	$170,538	+$74,425	44
8	Oregon	$96,051	$165,495	+$69,444	36
9	California	$94,837	$175,961	+$81,124	156
10	Indiana	$93,947	$157,600	+$63,653	43
11	New Hampshire	$93,631	$161,372	+$67,741	16
12	Nevada	$93,399	$156,483	+$63,084	9
13	Massachusetts	$93,241	$158,740	+$65,499	57
14	Connecticut	$93,066	$156,155	+$63,089	29
15	Maryland	$92,590	$159,626	+$67,036	27
16	Arizona	$91,833	$157,874	+$66,041	33
17	Delaware	$91,821	$158,155	+$66,334	6
18	Texas	$91,456	$161,672	+$70,216	109
19	Pennsylvania	$90,105	$171,617	+$81,512	24
20	Florida	$89,064	$160,417	+$71,353	81
21	Illinois	$89,029	$172,805	+$83,776	64
22	Alaska	$88,342	$151,991	+$63,649	5
23	New Mexico	$88,306	$152,072	+$63,766	17
24	Idaho	$87,806	$151,348	+$63,542	15
25	Vermont	$87,669	$130,456	+$42,787	9
26	Montana	$87,560	$150,967	+$63,407	7
27	Michigan	$87,457	$151,962	+$64,505	52
28	Virginia	$86,266	$144,851	+$58,585	42
29	Missouri	$85,626	$149,267	+$63,641	33
30	Tennessee	$85,377	$144,867	+$59,490	30
31	Wyoming	$83,314	$142,847	+$59,533	14
32	Utah	$82,207	$155,158	+$72,951	41
33	Wisconsin	$82,039	$141,352	+$59,313	46
34	North Carolina	$81,661	$140,764	+$59,103	43
35	Oklahoma	$80,495	$139,138	+$58,643	27
36	Nebraska	$80,137	$137,928	+$57,791	13
37	Kansas	$79,390	$136,608	+$57,218	22
38	South Carolina	$78,887	$135,970	+$57,083	26
39	Rhode Island	$78,865	$141,422	+$62,557	17
40	North Dakota	$78,810	$135,602	+$56,792	8
41	Kentucky	$78,068	$134,544	+$56,476	20
42	Ohio	$77,665	$137,814	+$60,149	67
43	Iowa	$75,981	$130,860	+$54,879	26
44	Louisiana	$75,462	$129,980	+$54,518	20
45	Puerto Rico	$75,009	$129,013	+$54,004	1
46	South Dakota	$74,634	$128,671	+$54,037	11
47	Alabama	$74,260	$127,897	+$53,637	24
48	Arkansas	$72,874	$125,585	+$52,711	21
49	Mississippi	$70,070	$113,720	+$43,650	20
50	West Virginia	$69,482	$119,252	+$49,770	11
51	Maine	$63,122	$134,229	+$71,107	10
52	District of Columbia	$48,987	$179,364	+$130,377	1

Beginner Air Traffic Controller Pay: Top 20 Cities

These 20 metro areas offer the highest starting salaries for new air traffic controllers. Each figure represents the 10th percentile of local BLS wage data — the typical pay range for professionals with little to no experience.

#	City	Starting Salary	Median Target	vs National
1	New York, NY	$123,520	$212,965	+37.09%
2	Wilmington, DE	$120,161	$207,173	+33.36%
3	Oakland, CA	$117,649	$202,843	+30.57%
4	Folsom, CA	$117,564	$202,696	+30.48%
5	Roseville, CA	$116,293	$200,505	+29.06%
6	Syracuse, NY	$115,757	$199,582	+28.47%
7	Camden, NJ	$115,322	$198,830	+27.99%
8	Fremont, CA	$115,054	$198,369	+27.69%
9	Yonkers, NY	$114,722	$197,798	+27.32%
10	Naperville, IL	$114,079	$196,689	+26.61%
11	Atlanta, GA	$114,017	$191,437	+26.54%
12	Rochester, NY	$113,663	$195,971	+26.15%
13	Sandy Springs, GA	$113,205	$195,181	+25.64%
14	Buffalo, NY	$112,944	$194,731	+25.35%
15	Troy, NY	$112,916	$194,683	+25.32%
16	New Rochelle, NY	$112,358	$193,721	+24.70%
17	Elgin, IL	$111,894	$192,921	+24.18%
18	Mount Vernon, NY	$111,101	$191,553	+23.30%
19	Watertown, NY	$110,913	$191,229	+23.09%
20	Binghamton, NY	$110,653	$190,780	+22.81%

Air Traffic Controller Salary With No Experience: New Trainee Reality

The 10th percentile of BLS wage data is the standard proxy for entry-level air traffic controller pay — predominantly new trainees in FAA Academy or first-facility training. Nationally, that sits at $90,104 ($43.32/hour) for 2026. ATC compensation grows rapidly as developmental controllers progress to Certified Professional Controller (CPC) and facility level moves up.

What New Grad Air Traffic Controllers Actually Earn (Year 1)

FAA Academy trainee (Oklahoma City, 12-16 weeks) — $46,000–$55,000 base + per-diem during academy.
Developmental controller post-academy (year 1 at first facility) — $50,000–$80,000 depending on facility level + locality pay.
Top facility (ZNY New York Center, JFK Tower, EWR Tower) — premium NYC / NJ locality pay. Developmental $65,000–$95,000 year 1.
Top facility (ZSE Seattle Center, SEA Tower) — premium Seattle locality. Developmental $60,000–$90,000.
Top facility (ZLA LA Center, LAX Tower) — premium LA locality.
Mid-tier facility — Center / TRACON / Tower at major metros. Developmental $55,000–$80,000.
Low-tier facility (Level 4/5) — smaller airports / regional centers. Developmental $48,000–$70,000.
CPC (Certified Professional Controller) full performance level — $100,000–$190,000+ at top facilities. Reached typically year 3-5.
Center controller (ZNY, ZBW, ZSE, ZLA, ZAB, ZHU, ZJX, ZME, ZTL, ZAU, ZID, ZKC, ZDV, ZMP, ZOB, ZDC, ZMA) — premier track.
Tower controller (top-30 airports) — premier metro tower track.

FAA Hiring + Academy + CPC Progression

FAA ATC hiring announcement (intermittent) — bid via FAA USA Jobs when announced. Highly competitive.
AT-SAT (Air Traffic Selection & Training) assessment — required cognitive / spatial assessment.
FAA Academy Oklahoma City (12-16 weeks) — required initial training.
Developmental controller (D1, D2, D3 levels) — facility-specific training 1-3 years.
CPC (Certified Professional Controller) — full performance certification.
CIC (Controller-in-Charge) — supervisory designation post-CPC.
TMC (Traffic Management Coordinator) — specialty post-CPC.
OSC (Operations Supervisor) — supervisor track.
Age limit (30 at hiring for FAA) — strict age cap. Veterans + military controllers exempt.
Class III medical certificate — FAA medical required.
US citizenship + security clearance — required.

Setting Selection: Tower / TRACON / Center / Military

Center (ARTCC, 22 in CONUS) — high altitude en-route. Top scale.
Tower (FAA-staffed) — premium top-30 airports.
TRACON (terminal radar approach control) — premium A-80 / N-90 / SoCal / Potomac TRACON.
Contract tower (smaller airports, contractor-staffed) — alternative path. Lower pay.
Military air traffic controller (USAF, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard) — pre-FAA path. Veteran preference for FAA hire.
Combined tower / TRACON facility — premium dual-cert.
Top metro Center (ZNY, ZBW, ZSE, ZLA) — premier track + locality.
Top metro Tower (JFK, EWR, LGA, ATL, ORD, LAX, SFO, BOS, IAD, DCA, MIA) — premium high-volume tower.
FAA Air Traffic Manager / Supervisor — admin track.
FAA Aviation Safety Inspector pivot — alternative track post-ATC.

Year-by-Year Progression

Year 0 (Academy) — $46,000–$55,000.
Year 1-3 (developmental D1, D2, D3) — $50,000–$95,000 depending on facility + locality.
Year 3-5 (CPC certification at facility) — major bump to $100,000–$160,000+.
Year 5-10 (CIC + TMC + senior controller) — $130,000–$190,000+ at top facilities with overtime.
Year 10+ (supervisor / OSC / ATM) — admin track + supervisor premium.
Year 25 or age 56 (mandatory retirement) — federal pension + Social Security supplement.

2026 New Air Traffic Controller Salary Outlook

Entry-level ATC pay has grown at a compound annual rate of 2.57% nationally — driven by acute structural ATC shortage post-pandemic, FAA hiring pipeline expansion, mandatory retirement at age 56 creating attrition waves, increased congressional pressure to staff understaffed facilities, and aviation traffic growth back above pre-pandemic levels. The BLS projects ATC employment growth at -2% through 2033 (federal hiring caps), but acute shortage creates continuous hiring through FAA pipeline.

Entry-Level to Mid-Career: Air Traffic Controller Salary Growth

Air Traffic Controller salaries follow a predictable growth curve. Here's how pay typically progresses from entry-level to experienced:

Entry (P10)

$90,104

Year 0-1

Early Career (P25)

$116,757

Year 1-3

Mid-Career (P50)

$151,886

Year 3-7

Experienced (P75-P90)

$201,581–$228,654

Year 7+

$90,104$116,757$151,886$228,654

How to Maximize Your Starting Air Traffic Controller Salary

New ATCs who strategically target top-tier Center / Tower / TRACON facilities, complete CPC quickly, and pursue specialty designations consistently land top-of-scale compensation by year 5-7. Here's how to maximize your first ATC total comp:

1. Target Top-Tier Facility (Center / Top-30 Tower)

Top Center (ZNY New York, ZBW Boston, ZSE Seattle, ZLA Los Angeles) — premium locality + scale.
Top Tower (JFK, EWR, LGA, ATL, ORD, LAX, SFO, BOS, IAD, DCA, MIA) — premium high-volume tower.
Top TRACON (A-80, N-90, SoCal, Potomac) — premier approach control.
Combined tower / TRACON facility — premium dual-cert.
Highest-paying ATC metro — New York, NY at $123,520.
Locality pay premium — NYC, SF, LA, DC, Seattle all carry 30%+ locality.

2. Pursue FAA Hiring Pipeline

FAA USA Jobs ATC announcement — bid when announced.
AT-SAT cognitive assessment — strong score required.
CTI (Collegiate Training Initiative) program — preferred pathway. Aviation college program.
Veteran preference (military ATC) — strong preference for prior military ATCs.
Age cap 30 (strict) — must apply before 31st birthday (veterans exempt).
Class III medical certificate — required.
US citizenship + security clearance — required.
Drug test + background — required.

3. Complete FAA Academy + Facility Training

FAA Academy Oklahoma City (12-16 weeks) — initial training. Strong performance critical for facility assignment.
Facility selection (after academy) — typically assigned to facility shortage area; may bid for top facility.
Developmental controller training (D1, D2, D3) — facility-specific 1-3 years.
CPC certification (full performance level) — major comp jump. Pursue completion by year 3.
Sector / position certifications — additional certs increase pay band.
OJT instructor / training role — additional pay differential.
Sign-on incentive (shortage facilities) — sometimes offered.

4. Stack Specialty: CIC + TMC + OSC

CIC (Controller-in-Charge) — supervisory designation. Premium pay.
TMC (Traffic Management Coordinator) — specialty pay.
OSC (Operations Supervisor) — supervisor track.
Center Frontline Manager — premium leadership.
FAA Air Traffic Manager (ATM) — admin leadership.
Overtime + holiday pay — premium add-on, especially during shortage staffing.
Shift differential (mid / mid-shift) — premium.
Sunday pay (1.25x) — federal standard.

5. Plan Supervisor / Admin / Federal Retirement Path

OSC (Operations Supervisor, 5-8 years) — supervisor track.
Center Frontline Manager (CFM, 8-12 years) — premium leadership.
FAA Air Traffic Manager / Operations Manager (10-15 years) — admin leadership.
FAA Aviation Safety Inspector pivot — alternative late-career.
Mandatory retirement age 56 — federal pension at 25 years + Social Security supplement.
Contract tower (post-FAA retirement) — second-career path.
FAA training instructor / academy instructor — alternative late-career.
Private sector aviation consulting — post-FAA premium.

More Salary Resources

National OverviewComplete salary data for 1661+ cities Hourly Pay RatesPer-hour rates, part-time calculations Salary by StateAll 52 states compared Highest Paying StatesTop states ranked by salary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the entry level air traffic controller salary?

The average entry level air traffic controller salary is $90,104 per year (approximately $43.32/hour) in 2026. This figure represents the 10th percentile of BLS wage data, which closely approximates what new graduates and first-year air traffic controllers earn.

How much do new air traffic controllers make with no experience?

New air traffic controllers with no experience typically start around $90,104 per year nationally. However, starting pay varies significantly by location — from $38,002 in lower-paying areas to $123,520 in top-paying metro areas like New York, NY.

What state pays entry-level air traffic controllers the most?

New York pays entry-level air traffic controllers the most, with an average starting salary of $121,240 per year across 38 metro areas.

How long does it take to reach the median air traffic controller salary?

Most air traffic controllers reach the national median salary of $151,886 within 3 to 5 years of clinical practice. Those who pursue specialized certifications (local anesthesia, laser therapy) or work in high-demand settings can reach median pay sooner.

Is aviation school worth the investment?

Yes. With an average starting salary of $90,104 and program costs typically ranging from $18,000 to $45,000, most aviation graduates recoup their education investment within 1-3 years. The median salary of $151,886 and strong job growth (9% projected through 2033, faster than average) make it one of the best returns on investment in healthcare education.

Written by Jordan Lee, ATO

Career Analyst

Jordan has 10 years of experience as an air traffic controller. He specializes in terminal area control at a major airport.

Clinically reviewed by Amina Rodriguez, ATOData verified by Omar Patel, ATO

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS 2025, released May 2026.

Compiled and verified by Jordan Lee, ATO, a licensed air traffic controller with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Methodology & Data Source

Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. We applied a 2.57% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS trends, to estimate current 2026 compensation.