United States · Pay by job · Transportation and Material Moving
Air Traffic Controller salary and take-home pay
The typical US air traffic controller earns $148,080 a year, or $71.19 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $170,080, a single filer keeps about $127,516 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Air Traffic Controllers (SOC 53-2021). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does an air traffic controller earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $78,420 | $37.70 | |
| 25th | $104,520 | $50.25 | |
| Median | $148,080 | $71.19 | |
| 75th | $190,570 | $91.62 | |
| 90th | $215,610 | $103.66 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $104,520 to $190,570 a year, and about 22,510 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Air Traffic Controller · Texas · single · median
$127,515.68 a year after tax
$10,626.31 a month · $4,904.45 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $170,080.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$29,553.20 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$13,011.12 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $127,515.68 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $170,080 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does an air traffic controller take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $78,420 | $63,998 | $60,040 | $59,991 |
| 25th | $104,520 | $82,360 | $75,670 | $76,790 |
| Median | $148,080 | $112,479 | $101,171 | $103,880 |
| 75th | $190,570 | $141,897 | $126,086 | $130,682 |
| 90th | $215,610 | $160,424 | $141,958 | $147,732 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does an air traffic controller keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $191,820 | $132,613 |
| 2 | Texas | $170,080 | $127,516 |
| 3 | Illinois | $181,560 | $126,520 |
| 4 | Georgia | $178,420 | $125,061 |
| 5 | Washington | $162,570 | $120,127 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $157,330 | $118,801 |
| 7 | Florida | $147,530 | $112,103 |
| 8 | California | $160,080 | $108,101 |
| 9 | Nevada | $140,920 | $107,585 |
| 10 | New York | $144,960 | $101,967 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $132,350 | $97,571 |
| 12 | Alaska | $123,950 | $95,715 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $129,230 | $94,947 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $132,230 | $94,666 |
| 15 | Michigan | $118,930 | $87,693 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $93,580 | $74,664 |
Not ranked, because BLS released no median there: New Hampshire, Ohio, South Dakota.
How much does an air traffic controller earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $114,960 | 240 | not yet |
| Alaska | $123,950 | 490 | $95,715 (#12) |
| Arizona | $136,800 | 380 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $109,760 | 80 | not yet |
| California | $160,080 | 2,290 | $108,101 (#8) |
| Colorado | $177,380 | 740 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $140,940 | not released | not yet |
| Delaware | not released | not released | not yet |
| District of Columbia | $47,760 | 820 | not yet |
| Florida | $147,530 | 1,950 | $112,103 (#7) |
| Georgia | $178,420 | 970 | $125,061 (#4) |
| Hawaii | $158,700 | 210 | not yet |
| Idaho | not released | not released | not yet |
| Illinois | $181,560 | 990 | $126,520 (#3) |
| Indiana | $158,810 | 630 | not yet |
| Iowa | $90,790 | 120 | not yet |
| Kansas | $159,700 | 430 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $127,800 | 230 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $99,810 | 230 | not yet |
| Maine | $107,270 | 70 | not yet |
| Maryland | $131,290 | 70 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $125,060 | 120 | not yet |
| Michigan | $118,930 | 360 | $87,693 (#15) |
| Minnesota | $176,840 | 680 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $88,110 | 160 | not yet |
| Missouri | $122,200 | 260 | not yet |
| Montana | $101,380 | 60 | not yet |
| Nebraska | $111,710 | 70 | not yet |
| Nevada | $140,920 | 210 | $107,585 (#9) |
| New Hampshire | not released | not released | – |
| New Jersey | $132,230 | 190 | $94,666 (#14) |
| New Mexico | $148,550 | 350 | not yet |
| New York | $144,960 | 1,150 | $101,967 (#10) |
| North Carolina | $129,230 | 410 | $94,947 (#13) |
| North Dakota | $107,990 | 100 | not yet |
| Ohio | not released | not released | – |
| Oklahoma | $123,220 | 270 | not yet |
| Oregon | not released | not released | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $132,350 | 460 | $97,571 (#11) |
| Rhode Island | $126,300 | 50 | not yet |
| South Carolina | $112,030 | 190 | not yet |
| South Dakota | not released | not released | – |
| Tennessee | $157,330 | 590 | $118,801 (#6) |
| Texas | $170,080 | 2,060 | $127,516 (#2) |
| Utah | $158,310 | 360 | not yet |
| Vermont | $109,140 | 30 | not yet |
| Virginia | $191,820 | 1,120 | $132,613 (#1) |
| Washington | $162,570 | 620 | $120,127 (#5) |
| West Virginia | not released | not released | not yet |
| Wisconsin | not released | not released | not yet |
| Wyoming | $93,580 | 40 | $74,664 (#16) |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for an air traffic controller?
BLS expects jobs as an air traffic controller to grow 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,100 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- +1.7%
- Openings a year
- about 2,100
- Usual education
- Associate's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 transportation and material moving jobs closest in pay to an air traffic controller:
- Commercial Pilot median $123,220
- Ship Engineer median $109,530
- Ship Captain and Mate median $92,460
- Transportation Inspector median $92,100
- Subway and Streetcar Operator median $86,380
- Locomotive Engineer median $81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster median $78,000
- Gas Compressor Operator median $77,320
- Wellhead Pumper median $69,960
- Railroad Brake and Signal Operator median $68,840
Every job in the group: Transportation and Material Moving jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $148,080, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $71.19 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $148,080, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about air traffic controller pay
How much does an air traffic controller make an hour?
The median is $71.19 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $50.25 to $91.62, and the top 10% earn $103.66 or more.
Which state pays an air traffic controller the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, Virginia has the highest median for this job: $191,820 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, Virginia leaves the most: $132,613 a year for a single filer on its median of $191,820.
What is an air traffic controller’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $148,080, a single filer keeps about $112,479 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $101,171 in California and $103,880 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be an air traffic controller?
BLS lists an associate's degree as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and long-term on-the-job training (more than a year).
Is the number of air traffic controller jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as an air traffic controller to grow 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,100 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).