Air traffic controllers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Air traffic controllers in the United States earn a median salary of $148,080 per year — about $71 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 24K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +1%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core work is fundamentally digital and data-driven, involving the monitoring of radar screens and the processing of complex spatial information to ensure aircraft separation. While the high-stakes nature of safety and the need for real-time human communication with pilots provide a buffer, AI and automated systems (like NextGen) are already increasing productivity and handling more traffic per controller, leading to a very low projected growth in human employment.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDBEST VALUE | $198,590 | Average (102.6) | $193,644 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $186,640 | Average (100.1) | $186,532 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $196,290 | Above avg (106.7) | $184,016 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $189,780 | Above avg (103.6) | $183,194 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $186,510 | Above avg (103.1) | $180,920 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $171,910 | Below avg (95.7) | $179,642 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $178,310 | Average (100.3) | $177,780 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $161,700 | Below avg (92.5) | $174,730 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $179,670 | Above avg (104.8) | $171,405 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $170,120 | Average (99.5) | $171,002 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $193,360 | Above avg (115.6) | $167,248 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $146,520 | Below avg (90.4) | $162,065 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $155,540 | Below avg (96.3) | $161,452 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $174,870 | Above avg (108.9) | $160,602 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $161,640 | Average (100.9) | $160,249 |