Air Traffic Controllers Salary in the US
A air traffic controllers earns a national median of $148,080 a year (mean $146,490) — BLS OEWS May 2025, ranked #41 of 825.
How much does a air traffic controllers earn in the US?
A air traffic controllers in the United States earns a median of $148,080 a year (mean $146,490), per BLS OEWS May 2025. That is 190% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980. About 22,510 people work in this occupation (SOC 53-2021), ranked #41 of 825 by national median pay. Updated annually from BLS OEWS.
Median
$148,080
per year
Mean
$146,490
per year
Employment
22,510
US workers
National rank
#41
of 825 by median
What a air traffic controllers earns in the US
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 national estimates, a air traffic controllers (SOC 53-2021) earns a median annual wage of $148,080 and a mean (average) of $146,490. The median is the midpoint — half of air traffic controllers earn more and half earn less — and is 190% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980. The mean is higher than the median when a minority of very high earners pull the average up.
Note: BLS top-codes any annual wage at or above $239,200/year, so occupations at that ceiling share the same figure.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average salary for a air traffic controllers in the US?
- The BLS OEWS May 2025 national annual median wage for air traffic controllers is $148,080, and the mean (average) is $146,490. The median is the midpoint — half of air traffic controllers earn more and half earn less.
- How does air traffic controllers pay compare to the US average?
- At $148,080, a air traffic controllers earns 190% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The all-occupations US median is $50,980.
- How many air traffic controllers are employed in the US?
- BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates about 22,510 air traffic controllers employed nationally (SOC 53-2021), across all industries.
- Where does this air traffic controllers salary data come from?
- From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 national release — cross-industry, all-ownership estimates, SOC code 53-2021. As US federal government work it is public domain. GeraJobs publishes the figures verbatim; suppressed cells are shown as "—", never estimated.
Compare nearby occupations
- Lawyers$159,670
- Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates$153,990
- Human Resources Managers$149,280
- Compensation and Benefits Managers$149,230
- Sales Managers$148,270
- Purchasing Managers$148,080
- Medical Dosimetrists$147,470
- Public Relations Managers$146,910
- Petroleum Engineers$144,910
- Political Scientists$142,080
- Managers, All Other$141,900
- Pharmacists$140,910
Find air traffic controllers jobs with salary ranges
GeraJobs lists live US vacancies with employer-stated salary ranges — see which air traffic controllers roles pay above the BLS benchmark.
Data source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) · May 2025 national estimates · SOC 53-2021 · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
Published verbatim by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-27. ← All US salaries