Air Traffic Controllers
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.
What it pays
Air Traffic Controllers earn a median of $71.19/hr — about $148,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $37.70/hr; the top 10% earn $103.66/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Air Traffic Controllers earn a median of $71.19/hr — about $148,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $37.70/hr; the top 10% earn $103.66/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
- Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions.
- 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.
- Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
- Monitor or direct the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Associate degree. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work is mostly indoors; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0% of air traffic controllers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are organized and detail-focused, hands-on and take-charge.
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Quick questions
- How much does a air traffic controller make?
- The median pay is $71.19 per hour — roughly $148,000 a year, with the real range running from about $37.70/hr (10th percentile) to $103.66/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a air traffic controller?
- The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
- What does a air traffic controller actually do all day?
- Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems. Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions. Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.