Air Traffic Controllers

Transportation, Distribution and LogisticsO*NET 53-2021.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $148,075
Projected change: +4.8%
Typical education: High school diploma or less
Employment: 34.52K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What air traffic controllers do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

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.
Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.
Monitor or direct the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety.
Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references.
Direct pilots to runways when space is available or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land.
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.
Initiate or coordinate searches for missing aircraft.
Provide on-the-job training to new air traffic controllers.
Check conditions and traffic at different altitudes in response to pilots' requests for altitude changes.
Relay air traffic information, such as courses, altitudes, or expected arrival times, to control centers.
Inspect, adjust, or control radio equipment or airport lights.
Compile information about flights from flight plans, pilot reports, radar, or observations.
Organize flight plans or traffic management plans to prepare for planes about to enter assigned airspace.
Review records or reports for clarity and completeness and maintain records or reports, as required under federal law.
Complete daily activity reports and keep records of messages from aircraft.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $78,416
25th percentile: $104,520
50th percentile: $148,075
75th percentile: $190,570
90th percentile: $215,613

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $148,075 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+4.8%average or slower

202534,522 jobs

2035 projected36,194 jobs

1,672 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less: 37.5%
Bachelor's degree: 21.9%
Certificate: 20.8%
Associate degree: 14.1%
Some college: 5.6%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Federal Aviation Administration
Air Traffic Control
Traffic Control
Aviation
Airspace
National Airspace System (NAS)
Air Traffic Management
Operations Management
Lifting Ability
Support Services
Automation
Auditing
Organizational Performance
Continuous Improvement Process
Federal Aviation Regulations
Staff Management
Aircraft Maintenance
Accounting
Project Management
Flight Dispatch

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Certified Flaggers989 postings
02Air Traffic Control Specialists306 postings
03Supervisory Air Traffic Control Specialists268 postings
04Supervisory Air Traffic Control Specialists/Operations Supervisors210 postings
05Traffic Control Specialists195 postings
06Pilot Operators184 postings
07Air Traffic Control Instructors181 postings
08Flight Dispatchers170 postings
09Switch Technicians157 postings
10Dispatchers138 postings
11Air Traffic Controllers89 postings
12Aircraft Dispatchers78 postings
13Aircraft Production Controllers73 postings
14Flight Controllers72 postings
15Government Account Managers68 postings
16Air Traffic Control Specialists Support Specialist59 postings
17Construction Quality Control Managers56 postings
18Aircraft Maintenance Controllers52 postings
19Supervisory Air Traffic Control Specialists Air Traffic Manager52 postings
20Aircraft Inspectors50 postings

Top employers

01United States Department of Transportation1,041 postings
02Labor Finders985 postings
03SAIC314 postings
04Serco137 postings
05GE Aerospace81 postings
06Railserve78 postings
07Amentum71 postings
08Petroleum Service Corporation65 postings
09United Airlines59 postings
10PSC54 postings
11Leidos41 postings
12Primeflight Aviation Services41 postings
13Barricades Unlimited32 postings
14Scitor Corporation31 postings
15Conglobal Company30 postings
16Cwr Contracting29 postings
17Global Medical Response28 postings
18United States Department of Defense28 postings
19Amazon24 postings
20Adacel Systems22 postings

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