Skip to content
AffordMap
Salary comparison

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors vs. Air Traffic Controllers: Who Earns More?

Air Traffic Controllerss out-earn Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructorss by $85K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2024. Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructorss land at $59,950 and Air Traffic Controllerss at $144,580. The education gap is real: adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructor programs typically require bachelor's degree, while air traffic controller programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructorss is California ($97,000); for Air Traffic Controllerss it's Virginia ($185,890).

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Air Traffic Controllers
Median salary
$59,950
$144,580
Hourly rate
$28.82/hr
$69.51/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$39,750
$76,090
Senior level (90th %)
$95,750
$210,410
Education required
Bachelor's degree
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
36,260
22,400
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Education
Transportation
Top-paying state
California
Virginia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors median pay.

State
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Air Traffic Controllers
California
$97,000
$152,010
New York
$75,080
$142,190
Minnesota
$68,730
$176,030
Washington
$67,770
$164,070
Virginia
$62,400
$185,890
Illinois
$59,890
$175,090
Indiana
$57,060
$155,790
Tennessee
$55,270
$153,670
New Mexico
$53,980
$145,290
Florida
$52,900
$144,710
Texas
$50,820
$167,710
Utah
$49,060
$156,120
Kansas
$46,580
$156,620
Georgia
$45,760
$174,600
Nevada
$45,540
$147,700

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructorss or Air Traffic Controllerss?

Air Traffic Controllerss earn more nationally. The median is $59,950 for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructorss versus $144,580 for Air Traffic Controllerss, a difference of $85K. Per BLS OEWS May 2024.

Which has better job growth, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors 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, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors or Air Traffic Controllers?

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors typically requires bachelor's degree. Air Traffic Controllers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructorss get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructorss at $97,000/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors vs. Air Traffic Controllers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructorss earn $97,000 vs. $152,010 for Air Traffic Controllerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors salary breakdownView →Full Air Traffic Controllers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructorss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Air Traffic Controllerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructorsGuide →How to become a air traffic controllersGuide →