Air Traffic Controllers pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,520 a year or less, while the top 10% make $225,680 or more. The middle half of air traffic controllers in Los Angeles earn between $116,330 and $209,640.
- $64K10th
- $116K25th
- $173KMedian
- $210K75th
- $226K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $156,650 | $13,054 | $75.31 |
| Median | $173,020 | $14,418 | $83.18 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $116,330 | $9,694 | $55.93 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $209,640 | $17,470 | $100.79 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Air Traffic Controllers salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $156,650, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $107,860 a year, or $8,988 a month and $4,148 every two weeks. Taxes take 31% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for air traffic controllers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $156,650 buys what about $137,937 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 6.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Air Traffic Controllers salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 3rd of 4 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($179,320).
- San Francisco$179,320
- Sacramento$173,710
- Los Angeles$156,650
- Riverside$96,750
Highest-paying cities for air traffic controllers
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($179,320).
- San Francisco, CA$179,320
- Philadelphia, PA$177,260
- Atlanta, GA$176,190
- Chicago, IL$174,320
- Sacramento, CA$173,710
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Air Traffic Controllers salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do air traffic controllers make an hour in Los Angeles?
$75.31 an hour on average, and $83.18 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level air traffic controllers salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,520 a year and the 25th percentile is $116,330, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the air traffic controllers take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $107,860 a year ($8,988 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $156,650. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do air traffic controllers earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. metro average for this job ($156,724).
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; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.5%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.76, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.76).
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.