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 (102.4) | $194,006 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $186,640 | Average (100.5) | $185,747 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $189,780 | Average (102.5) | $185,177 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $186,510 | Average (102.5) | $181,979 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $171,910 | Below avg (94.7) | $181,627 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $178,310 | Average (98.2) | $181,602 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $196,290 | Above avg (109.1) | $179,932 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $161,700 | Below avg (93.2) | $173,492 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $179,670 | Above avg (104.3) | $172,259 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $170,120 | Average (99.6) | $170,726 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $161,640 | Average (97.1) | $166,390 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $193,360 | Above avg (117.6) | $164,490 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $155,540 | Average (97.0) | $160,311 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $146,520 | Below avg (91.4) | $160,227 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $174,870 | Above avg (109.5) | $159,636 |