Skilled Trades
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.
Median salary (BLS)
$148,080
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$78k – $216k
Job outlook
+1% (about average)
AI exposure
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $70,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Air Traffic Controllers
Education
Typical entry: No degree (trade/license)
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Air Traffic Controllers
Entry / Junior
$78,420
~2 yrs to advance
Air Traffic Controllers
Established
$148,080
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Air Traffic Controllers
Senior
$181,845
Key skills
A typical day
- •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.
- •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.
- •Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.