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Salary comparison

Accountants and Auditors vs. Air Traffic Controllers: Who Earns More?

Air Traffic Controllerss out-earn Accountants and Auditorss by $63K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2024. Accountants and Auditorss land at $81,680 and Air Traffic Controllerss at $144,580. The education gap is real: accountants and auditor programs typically require bachelor's degree, while air traffic controller programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Accountants and Auditorss is District of Columbia ($103,030); for Air Traffic Controllerss it's Virginia ($185,890).

Accountants and Auditors
Air Traffic Controllers
Median salary
$81,680
$144,580
Hourly rate
$39.27/hr
$69.51/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$52,780
$76,090
Senior level (90th %)
$141,420
$210,410
Education required
Bachelor's degree
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
1,448,290
22,400
Job growth (10-year)
4.6%
N/A
Category
Business & Finance
Transportation
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
Virginia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Accountants and Auditors median pay.

State
Accountants and Auditors
Air Traffic Controllers
New York
$101,780
$142,190
California
$96,360
$152,010
Washington
$96,180
$164,070
Virginia
$84,190
$185,890
Minnesota
$81,100
$176,030
Georgia
$80,100
$174,600
Texas
$80,000
$167,710
Illinois
$79,300
$175,090
Florida
$78,470
$144,710
Nevada
$78,220
$147,700
New Mexico
$77,420
$145,290
Indiana
$77,410
$155,790
Kansas
$76,400
$156,620
Tennessee
$75,500
$153,670
Utah
$75,100
$156,120

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Accountants and Auditorss or Air Traffic Controllerss?

Air Traffic Controllerss earn more nationally. The median is $81,680 for Accountants and Auditorss versus $144,580 for Air Traffic Controllerss, a difference of $63K. Per BLS OEWS May 2024.

Which has better job growth, Accountants and Auditors or Air Traffic Controllers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Accountants and Auditors or Air Traffic Controllers?

Accountants and Auditors typically requires bachelor's degree. Air Traffic Controllers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Accountants and Auditorss get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Accountants and Auditorss at $103,030/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Accountants and Auditors vs. Air Traffic Controllers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New York, Accountants and Auditorss earn $101,780 vs. $142,190 for Air Traffic Controllerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Accountants and Auditors salary breakdownView →Full Air Traffic Controllers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Accountants and Auditorss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Air Traffic Controllerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a accountants and auditorsGuide →How to become a air traffic controllersGuide →