How to Become an Air Traffic Controller
Direct aircraft through takeoff, flight, and landing with total focus, among the best-paid careers without a required degree. It typically requires a faa academy training, with a median salary of $148,080 per year and slower than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$148,080/yr
Middle half
$104,520 to $190,570
Job growth
Slower than average
Openings / yr
2,200
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Traffic Sequencing
- Radio Communication
- Rapid Decision Making
- Monitoring
- Stress Management
Helpful certifications
- FAA Air Traffic Control certification
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
70/100
Work-life balance
64/100
Stress level
71/100
Related careers
- Airline Pilot$232,140 median
- Commercial Pilot$123,220 median
- Aircraft Mechanic$79,870 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Air Traffic Controller make?
The median pay for an Air Traffic Controller is $148,080 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $104,520 and $190,570 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become an Air Traffic Controller?
The usual entry point is a faa academy training. Common majors are Aviation Science and Air Traffic Management.
Is Air Traffic Controller a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is slower than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 2,200 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does an Air Traffic Controller use most?
Common skills for this role are Traffic Sequencing, Radio Communication, Rapid Decision Making, Monitoring, and Stress Management.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).