Occupations · Transportation and Material Moving

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.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 53-2021.00

$144,580median annual wage, May 2024

22,400people employed, United States

▲ 1.2%projected change, 2024→2034

2,200openings a year, incl. replacements

What it pays

A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage

Pay over time

Median up 50% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

Where the jobs are

Metro area	Median wage	Employed
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$176,110	1,690
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	$180,090	1,090
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	$184,930	840
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$182,310	820
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$182,890	780
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$164,240	710
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$169,230	670
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$178,920	580
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$169,350	500
Jacksonville, FL	$166,940	460
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	$188,930	420
Kansas City, MO-KS	$159,120	400

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: Associate's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions.
Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations.
Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.
Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
Monitor or direct the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety.
Direct pilots to runways when space is available or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land.
Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references.
Direct ground traffic, including taxiing aircraft, maintenance or baggage vehicles, or airport workers.
Contact pilots by radio to provide meteorological, navigational, or other information.
Maintain radio or telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, or other area control centers to coordinate aircraft movement.
Determine the timing or procedures for flight vector changes.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Active Listening4.4

Speaking4.2

Critical Thinking4.1

Monitoring4.0

Active Learning3.8

Reading Comprehension3.8

Writing3.1

Learning Strategies3.1

Mathematics2.9

Science1.8

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Adobe Acrobat●Microsoft Access●Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Word●SAP software●Advanced technologies and oceanic procedures ATOPAutomated radar terminal systems ARTSCenter TRACON automation systems CTASDirect-to-tool softwareEn route descent advisor EDAExpedite departure path EDP softwareFinal approach spacing tool FASTFlight simulation softwareMulti-center traffic management advisor McTMAReally Simple Syndication RSSTraffic management advisor TMA software

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

3 / 5Medium preparation — vocational training or an associate degree, plus 1–2 years of work.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets−1.9 below average

Conflict Situations+1.5 above average

Degree of Automation+1.5 above average

Importance of Repeating Same Tasks+1.4 above average

Spend Time Sitting+1.3 above average

E-Mail−1.3 below average

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions−1.2 below average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2014-07

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)36%

Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)21%

Bachelor's Degree20%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)14%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2014-07

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Conventional5.0

Realistic4.5

Enterprising4.3

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

Tasks O*NET flags as emerging

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.

O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Judgment and Decision Making4.1

Complex Problem Solving4.0

Coordination3.9

Time Management3.5

Social Perceptiveness3.4

Systems Analysis3.2

Operations Monitoring3.2

Instructing3.1

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

TransportationEnglish LanguagePublic Safety and SecurityEducation and TrainingCustomer and Personal ServiceGeography

Abilities it leans on

Problem SensitivityOral ComprehensionOral ExpressionSelective AttentionDeductive ReasoningInductive Reasoning

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

DispatcherControl OperatorAirway ControllerFlight DispatcherFlight ControllerTraffic SupervisorAirline DispatcherEnroute ControllerAir Traffic ManagerControls SpecialistFlight Radio OfficerAir Route ControllerFlight Radio OperatorAircraft Communicator

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 3 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.

Now listed 9

+Microsoft Office software+Microsoft Access+Really Simple Syndication RSS+Adobe Acrobat+Microsoft Excel+Microsoft PowerPoint+Microsoft Outlook+Microsoft Word+SAP software

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

DispatcherCommunicatorControl OperatorChief ControllerFlight ControllerFlight DispatcherAirway ControllerAirline DispatcherTraffic SupervisorEnroute ControllerAir Traffic ManagerControls Specialist

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
air traffic controller	3154.1	exact
airport operations officer	3154.1.3	close
flight operations officer	3154.3	close
air traffic manager	1324.2	close
aircraft dispatcher	4323.2	broader
aeronautical information service officer	3154.1.1	broader
aeronautical information specialist	3154.1.2	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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