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Salary comparison

Air Traffic Controllers vs. Stockers and Order Fillers: Who Earns More?

Air Traffic Controllerss out-earn Stockers and Order Fillerss by $111K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Air Traffic Controllerss land at $148,080 and Stockers and Order Fillerss at $37,330. The education gap is real: air traffic controller programs typically require no formal educational credential, while stockers and order filler programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Air Traffic Controllerss is Virginia ($191,820); for Stockers and Order Fillerss it's Washington ($44,620).

Air Traffic Controllers
Stockers and Order Fillers
Median salary
$148,080
$37,330
Hourly rate
$71.19/hr
$17.95/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$78,420
$30,110
Senior level (90th %)
$215,610
$49,260
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
22,510
2,833,810
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
8.5%
Category
Transportation
Transportation
Top-paying state
Virginia
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Air Traffic Controllers median pay.

State
Air Traffic Controllers
Stockers and Order Fillers
Illinois
$181,560
$37,680
Colorado
$177,380
$42,350
Washington
$162,570
$44,620
California
$160,080
$42,870
Hawaii
$158,700
$39,300
Utah
$158,310
$37,690
New York
$144,960
$39,030
Connecticut
$140,940
$40,590
Arizona
$136,800
$37,500
Maryland
$131,290
$37,690
Massachusetts
$125,060
$37,540
Alaska
$123,950
$40,310
Montana
$101,380
$39,050
Wyoming
$93,580
$39,580
District of Columbia
$47,760
$39,640

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Air Traffic Controllerss or Stockers and Order Fillerss?

Air Traffic Controllerss earn more nationally. The median is $148,080 for Air Traffic Controllerss versus $37,330 for Stockers and Order Fillerss, a difference of $111K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Air Traffic Controllers or Stockers and Order Fillers?

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, Air Traffic Controllers or Stockers and Order Fillers?

Air Traffic Controllers typically requires no formal educational credential. Stockers and Order Fillers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Air Traffic Controllerss get paid the most?

Virginia is the top-paying state for Air Traffic Controllerss at $191,820/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Air Traffic Controllers vs. Stockers and Order Fillers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Illinois, Air Traffic Controllerss earn $181,560 vs. $37,680 for Stockers and Order Fillerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Air Traffic Controllers salary breakdownView →Full Stockers and Order Fillers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Air Traffic Controllerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Stockers and Order Fillerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a air traffic controllersGuide →How to become a stockers and order fillersGuide →