Career profile · 53-2021
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 the work can involve
- Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
- Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references.
- Monitor, direct, or sequence the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety.
- Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
- Maintain radio or telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, or other area control centers to coordinate aircraft movement.
- Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Transportation
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Education and Training
- Customer and Personal Service
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Getting Information
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 86.9%07/2014 · sample 53 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 53.8%07/2014 · sample 54 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 88.1%07/2014 · sample 53 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 93.7%07/2014 · sample 54 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Continually or almost continually | 60.4%07/2014 · sample 53 |
| Spend Time Standing | Less than half the time | 62.8%07/2014 · sample 53 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Continually or almost continually | 63.2%07/2014 · sample 53 |
| Time Pressure | Every day | 48.1%07/2014 · sample 53 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Never | 96.8%07/2014 · sample 54 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 71.8%07/2014 · sample 54 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software
- Expert system software: Advanced technologies and oceanic procedures ATOP, Automated radar terminal systems ARTS, Center TRACON automation systems CTAS
- Flight control software: Direct-to-tool software, En route descent advisor EDA, Expedite departure path EDP software, Final approach spacing tool FAST
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
- Web page creation and editing software: Really Simple Syndication RSS
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for air traffic controllers
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 43 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $114,960 | $55.27 | 240 |
| Alaska | $123,950 | $59.59 | 490 |
| Arizona | $136,800 | $65.77 | 380 |
| Arkansas | $109,760 | $52.77 | 80 |
| California | $160,080 | $76.96 | 2,290 |
| Colorado | $177,380 | $85.28 | 740 |
| Connecticut | $140,940 | $67.76 | Not published |
| District of Columbia | $47,760 | $22.96 | 820 |
| Florida | $147,530 | $70.93 | 1,950 |
| Georgia | $178,420 | $85.78 | 970 |
| Hawaii | $158,700 | $76.30 | 210 |
| Illinois | $181,560 | $87.29 | 990 |
| Indiana | $158,810 | $76.35 | 630 |
| Iowa | $90,790 | $43.65 | 120 |
| Kansas | $159,700 | $76.78 | 430 |
| Kentucky | $127,800 | $61.44 | 230 |
| Louisiana | $99,810 | $47.99 | 230 |
| Maine | $107,270 | $51.57 | 70 |
| Maryland | $131,290 | $63.12 | 70 |
| Massachusetts | $125,060 | $60.13 | 120 |
| Michigan | $118,930 | $57.18 | 360 |
| Minnesota | $176,840 | $85.02 | 680 |
| Mississippi | $88,110 | $42.36 | 160 |
| Missouri | $122,200 | $58.75 | 260 |
| Montana | $101,380 | $48.74 | 60 |
| Nebraska | $111,710 | $53.71 | 70 |
| Nevada | $140,920 | $67.75 | 210 |
| New Jersey | $132,230 | $63.57 | 190 |
| New Mexico | $148,550 | $71.42 | 350 |
| New York | $144,960 | $69.69 | 1,150 |
| North Carolina | $129,230 | $62.13 | 410 |
| North Dakota | $107,990 | $51.92 | 100 |
| Oklahoma | $123,220 | $59.24 | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $132,350 | $63.63 | 460 |
| Rhode Island | $126,300 | $60.72 | 50 |
| South Carolina | $112,030 | $53.86 | 190 |
| Tennessee | $157,330 | $75.64 | 590 |
| Texas | $170,080 | $81.77 | 2,060 |
| Utah | $158,310 | $76.11 | 360 |
| Vermont | $109,140 | $52.47 | 30 |
| Virginia | $191,820 | $92.22 | 1,120 |
| Washington | $162,570 | $78.16 | 620 |
| Wyoming | $93,580 | $44.99 | 40 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 42 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 53-2021.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.