How Much Do Air Traffic Controllers Make? What to Know About Job Shortage

A shortage of national air traffic controllers coupled with safety concerns resulting in flight delays and cancellations is causing the federal government to step in to boost the workforce.

Why It Matters

Efforts to “supercharge” the air traffic controller field with higher base salaries and swifter hiring times are being brought forward by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, with support from President Donald Trump.

Duffy’s most recent efforts announced last Friday underscore hundreds of flight delays and cancellations at Newark International Airport, for example, causing United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby to say that the airline had “no other choice” but to remove 35 roundtrip flights per day from its Newark schedule starting this past weekend.

What To Know

The United States’ air traffic controllers ensure the safety of about 2 million passengers flying on more than 70,000 flights every day, equating to about 1 billion people per year, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).

The NATCA says there are around 14,000 men and women in the field who work in control towers, where they manage traffic from a radius of 3 to 30 miles. Others also operate in so-called radar rooms, where they assist aircraft until they reach the edge of a facility’s airspace, about 20 to 50 miles from the airport and up to about 17,000 feet.

“The dedicated, American, hard-working employees who serve as controllers are the foundation of our air traffic control system,” an NATCA spokesperson told Newsweek. “These controllers and the thousands of other aviation safety professionals represented by NATCA ensure the safe and efficient movement of millions of passengers and tons of cargo through our dynamic airspace every day. These professionals ensure the safe movement of aircraft through the National Airspace System as a primary goal.

“This is why NATCA supports Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s efforts to upgrade and modernize our nation’s air traffic control systems and infrastructure.”

How Long Does It Take to Become an Air Traffic Controller?

Duffy initially brought his “supercharge” plan forward in February.

On Thursday, May 1, he reiterated the FAA’s willingness to offer a limited-time incentive package to keep experienced controllers from retiring—as well as increased the starting salary for academy trainees by 30 percent.

That plan includes hiring at least 2,000 controllers this year, on track due to Duffy’s streamlining of the hiring process from the old eight-step process to a five-step process.

The FAA said last week that this has already shaved five months off wait times, allowing the FAA to refer more than 8,320 candidates to take the aptitude exam, or Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA).

“Our antiquated air traffic control system is affecting our workforce,” an FAA spokesperson told Newsweek. “As Secretary Duffy has said, we must get the best safety technology in the hands of controllers as soon as possible. We are working to ensure the current telecommunications equipment is more reliable in the New York area by establishing a more resilient and redundant configuration with the local exchange carriers. In addition, we are updating our automation system to improve resiliency.

“Frequent equipment and telecommunications outages can be stressful for controllers. Some controllers at the Philadelphia TRACON who work Newark arrivals and departures have taken time off to recover from the stress of multiple recent outages. While we cannot quickly replace them due to this highly specialized profession, we continue to train controllers who will eventually be assigned to this busy airspace.”

They added that when staffing or equipment issues do occur, the FAA will ensure safety by slowing the rate of arrivals into the airport and simultaneously keeping the public updated.

Thousands of candidates have already taken the ATSA and moved into the next stage of the hiring process, per the FAA. Candidates from the March “supercharged” hiring campaign who scored the highest on the ATSA are given priority for the Academy.

Air Traffic Control Salary

The approximate median annual wage for air traffic control specialists is $127,805, according to FAA data last updated in February. Salaries for entry-level air traffic control specialists increase as they complete each new training phase.

The median annual wage for air traffic controllers in May 2024 was $144,580 ($69.51 per hour), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The typical entry-level education for those who apply and become controllers is an associate’s degree.

As part of an agreement reached between the FAA and NATCA, a new limited-time incentive package to recruit and retain controllers has been rolled out that includes the following:

• $5,000 award for academy graduates who successfully completed initial qualification training.
• $5,000 award for new hires who successfully complete the initial qualification training.
• $10,000 award for academy graduates who are assigned to one of 13 hard-to-staff air traffic facilities.
• Certified professional controllers eligible to retire but under the mandatory retirement age (56) will receive a lump sum payment of 20 percent of their basic pay for each year they continue to work.

What’s Going On at Newark Airport?

Newark Liberty International Airport, which operates under the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has been home to hundreds of flight delays and cancellations since Saturday.

It is the second-busiest airport in the region, which also contains JFK and LaGuardia airports.

“The Port Authority has invested billions to modernize Newark Liberty, but those improvements depend on a fully staffed and modern federal air traffic system,” a spokesperson told Newsweek on Monday. “We continue to urge the FAA to address ongoing staffing shortages and accelerate long-overdue technology upgrades that continue to cause delays in the nation’s busiest air corridor.”

In response, United Airlines—which calls Newark its East Coast hub—announced Friday that it had “no other choice” but to remove 35 roundtrip flights per day from its Newark schedule starting this past weekend.

What People Are Saying

Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau on May 1: “The supercharge hiring initiative is working. Less than 45 days after the announcement closed, one of the first applicants already has an Academy start date in early June. This stellar work by our team to accelerate this process is a clear sign that this Administration is leading in a profound way to transform our aviation system.”

National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Nick Daniels on May 1: “This new recruitment award and retention incentive program is a meaningful step toward addressing the ongoing staffing shortages in air traffic control across the National Airspace System.”

What Happens Next

The FAA says that training for air traffic controllers “is extremely demanding,” with an average of 57 to 73 percent of trainees graduating.

To improve scores and retention, the FAA is developing a plan to use more innovative learning technologies, including mobile training apps. The Trump Administration has also bolstered the Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) to provide schools with the same curriculum and advanced training technology offered at the Academy. Once graduated, those students can report directly to an FAA facility to begin on-the-job training.