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Top 15 cities for air traffic controllers by average salary
| San Francisco, CA | $179,320 |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | $177,260 |
| Atlanta, GA | $176,190 |
| Chicago, IL | $174,320 |
| Sacramento, CA | $173,710 |
| Dallas, TX | $173,430 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $169,370 |
| Seattle, WA | $163,230 |
| Detroit, MI | $163,150 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $160,990 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $157,890 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $156,710 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $156,650 |
| Miami, FL | $154,760 |
| Kansas City, MO | $153,000 |
Map: Air Traffic Controllers salary by metro area
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Air Traffic Controllers salary by state
| State | Metros | Highest average | Lowest average |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 4 | $179,320 | $96,750 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | $177,260 | $177,260 |
| Georgia | 1 | $176,190 | $176,190 |
| Illinois | 1 | $174,320 | $174,320 |
| Texas | 1 | $173,430 | $173,430 |
| Minnesota | 1 | $169,370 | $169,370 |
| Washington | 1 | $163,230 | $163,230 |
| Michigan | 1 | $163,150 | $163,150 |
| Indiana | 1 | $160,990 | $160,990 |
| Arizona | 1 | $157,890 | $157,890 |
| Florida | 5 | $156,710 | $122,190 |
| Missouri | 2 | $153,000 | $129,420 |
| Nevada | 1 | $152,620 | $152,620 |
| Alaska | 2 | $152,540 | $109,690 |
| Utah | 1 | $151,280 | $151,280 |
| Tennessee | 1 | $145,560 | $145,560 |
| Washington, D.C. | 1 | $144,670 | $144,670 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | $140,590 | $140,590 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | $139,870 | $139,870 |
| Connecticut | 1 | $139,290 | $139,290 |
| Ohio | 1 | $126,560 | $126,560 |
| Puerto Rico | 1 | $123,030 | $123,030 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $119,990 | $119,990 |
| Virginia | 1 | $115,560 | $115,560 |
| Vermont | 1 | $109,830 | $109,830 |
| Maine | 1 | $103,400 | $103,400 |
| Mississippi | 2 | $97,250 | $94,300 |
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Air Traffic Controllers salary in every city we cover
Sort by any column. Each city links to its pay range, take-home pay and cost of living.
| Metro area | Average | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $179,320 | $193,360 | $86.21 | 430 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $177,260 | $198,590 | $85.22 | 220 |
| Atlanta, GA | $176,190 | $186,640 | $84.71 | 810 |
| Chicago, IL | $174,320 | $189,780 | $83.81 | 850 |
| Sacramento, CA | $173,710 | $196,290 | $83.52 | 240 |
| Dallas, TX | $173,430 | $186,510 | $83.38 | 800 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $169,370 | $179,670 | $81.43 | 620 |
| Seattle, WA | $163,230 | $175,280 | $78.48 | 510 |
| Detroit, MI | $163,150 | $178,310 | $78.44 | 180 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $160,990 | $171,910 | $77.40 | 470 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $157,890 | $161,220 | $75.91 | 220 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $156,710 | $170,120 | $75.34 | 450 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $156,650 | $173,020 | $75.31 | 690 |
| Miami, FL | $154,760 | $162,140 | $74.40 | 720 |
| Kansas City, MO | $153,000 | $161,700 | $73.56 | 430 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $152,620 | $155,500 | $73.38 | 170 |
| Anchorage, AK | $152,540 | $160,970 | $73.34 | 280 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $151,280 | $161,640 | $72.73 | 330 |
| Tampa, FL | $146,150 | $150,700 | $70.26 | 110 |
| Orlando, FL | $145,830 | $147,800 | $70.11 | 170 |
| Nashville, TN | $145,560 | $155,540 | $69.98 | 60 |
| Washington, DC | $144,670 | $174,870 | $69.55 | 1,800 |
| Boston, MA | $140,590 | $135,720 | $67.59 | 100 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $139,870 | $146,520 | $67.25 | 130 |
| Hartford, CT | $139,290 | $134,700 | $66.97 | 70 |
| St. Louis, MO | $129,420 | $127,630 | $62.22 | 140 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $126,560 | $136,240 | $60.85 | 80 |
| San Juan, PR | $123,030 | $125,780 | $59.15 | 110 |
| Deltona, FL | $122,190 | $142,880 | $58.74 | 110 |
| Providence, RI | $119,990 | $126,300 | $57.69 | 50 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $115,560 | $119,230 | $55.56 | 90 |
| Burlington, VT | $109,830 | $109,140 | $52.80 | 30 |
| Fairbanks, AK | $109,690 | $103,230 | $52.74 | 80 |
| Portland, ME | $103,400 | $121,660 | $49.71 | 40 |
| Gulfport, MS | $97,250 | $99,800 | $46.75 | 50 |
| Riverside, CA | $96,750 | $94,140 | $46.52 | 140 |
| Jackson, MS | $94,300 | $91,710 | $45.34 | 30 |
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Air Traffic Controllers salary: questions
Where do air traffic controllers make the most money?
In San Francisco, CA, with an average of $179,320 a year, among the 37 metro areas we cover.
What is the average air traffic controllers salary in the U.S.?
$156,724 a year across all U.S. metro areas, weighted by employment (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where is air traffic controllers pay the lowest?
Jackson, MS, at $94,300 a year on average. Lower pay often comes with lower prices: check the cost of living on each city page.
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-2021.
- U.S. metro average: employment-weighted mean of every metro area in the OEWS file (not only the ones listed here).
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.