Transportation and material moving
Air traffic controller
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.
Median pay
$148,080
Growth to 2035
+2%
little or no change
Openings a year
2,100
Time to qualify*
3 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Air traffic controller
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Air traffic controller: 12% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
- Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations.
- Direct pilots to runways when space is available or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land.
Also called: ATCS (Air Traffic Control Specialist) · Center ATC (Center Air Traffic Controller) · Certified Professional Controller (CPC) · Developmental Air Traffic Controller · Developmental ATCS (Developmental Air Traffic Control Specialist) · Enroute ATCS (Enroute Air Traffic Control Specialist) · Radar Air Traffic Controller · Terminal ATC Specialist (Terminal Air Traffic Control Specialist)
Outlook and AI
Air traffic controllers held 24,000 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 24,400 by 2035 (+2%, little or no change; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
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