Careers / Air Traffic Controllers
Air Traffic Controllers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$148,080
United States, 2025
Employment
22,510
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 3
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Control air traffic on and within vicinity of airport, and movement of air traffic between altitude sectors and control centers, according to established procedures and policies. Authorize, regulate, and control commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety.
- O*NET code
- 53-2021.00
- Job zone
- 3
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
- Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references.
- Monitor, direct, or sequence the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety.
- Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
- Maintain radio or telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, or other area control centers to coordinate aircraft movement.
- Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.
- Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations.
- Direct pilots to runways when space is available or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$78,420
25th percentile
$104,520
75th percentile
$190,570
90th percentile
$215,610
Most important skills
- Active Listening4.4
- Speaking4.3
- Judgment and Decision Making4.1
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Monitoring4.0
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Coordination3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Active Learning3.8
- Time Management3.5
- Social Perceptiveness3.4
- Systems Analysis3.3
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 18 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
18
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 | 4.5 | Not selected | 4.5 |
| Active Listening | 4.4 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 4.0 | 4.3 | Not selected | 4.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.1 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Speaking | 4.3 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.9 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Time Management | 3.5 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.4 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.3 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Instructing | 3.1 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.3 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.1 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
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Compare with Air Traffic ControllersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | $198,590 | 220 | 2025 |
| Sacramento, CA | $196,290 | 240 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $193,360 | 430 | 2025 |
| VA | $191,820 | 1,120 | 2025 |
| Chicago, IL | $189,780 | 850 | 2025 |
| Atlanta, GA | $186,640 | 810 | 2025 |
| Dallas, TX | $186,510 | 800 | 2025 |
| IL | $181,560 | 990 | 2025 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $179,670 | 620 | 2025 |
| GA | $178,420 | 970 | 2025 |
| Detroit, MI | $178,310 | 180 | 2025 |
| CO | $177,380 | 740 | 2025 |
| MN | $176,840 | 680 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $175,280 | 510 | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | $174,870 | 1,800 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $173,020 | 690 | 2025 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $171,910 | 470 | 2025 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $170,120 | 450 | 2025 |
| TX | $170,080 | 2,060 | 2025 |
| WA | $162,570 | 620 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Air Traffic Controllers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.