Air Traffic Controllers Salary
The median pay for a air traffic controllers in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI is $178,310/year ($85.73/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $100K at the entry level to $214K for experienced workers.
So what does $178K get you in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Detroit-Warren-Dearborn’s Regional Price Parity (100.3). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About air traffic controllers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn sits well above the national pay line for air traffic controllers, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $148K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,106/month, 10.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.3) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn offers a genuinely strong financial position for air traffic controllerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for air traffic controllers in metros near Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $172K | , |
| Cincinnati | $136K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
Entry-level air traffic controllers (10th percentile) start around $100K. Mid-career wages sit at $178K. Top earners bring in $214K or more, a $114K spread from bottom to top.
Air Traffic Controllers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Air Traffic Controllers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $192K | +30% | 1,120 |
| Illinois | $182K | +23% | 990 |
| Georgia | $178K | +20% | 970 |
| Colorado | $177K | +20% | 740 |
| Minnesota | $177K | +19% | 680 |
| Texas | $170K | +15% | 2,060 |
| Washington | $163K | +10% | 620 |
| California | $160K | +8% | 2,290 |
| Kansas | $160K | +8% | 430 |
| Indiana | $159K | +7% | 630 |
| Hawaii | $159K | +7% | 210 |
| Utah | $158K | +7% | 360 |
| Tennessee | $157K | +6% | 590 |
| New Mexico | $149K | +0% | 350 |
| Florida | $148K | -0% | 1,950 |
| New York | $145K | -2% | 1,150 |
| Connecticut | $141K | -5% | N/A |
| Nevada | $141K | -5% | 210 |
| Arizona | $137K | -8% | 380 |
| Pennsylvania | $132K | -11% | 460 |
| New Jersey | $132K | -11% | 190 |
| Maryland | $131K | -11% | 70 |
| North Carolina | $129K | -13% | 410 |
| Kentucky | $128K | -14% | 230 |
| Rhode Island | $126K | -15% | 50 |
| Massachusetts | $125K | -16% | 120 |
| Alaska | $124K | -16% | 490 |
| Oklahoma | $123K | -17% | 270 |
| Missouri | $122K | -17% | 260 |
| Michigan | $119K | -20% | 360 |
| Alabama | $115K | -22% | 240 |
| South Carolina | $112K | -24% | 190 |
| Nebraska | $112K | -25% | 70 |
| Arkansas | $110K | -26% | 80 |
| Vermont | $109K | -26% | 30 |
| North Dakota | $108K | -27% | 100 |
| Maine | $107K | -28% | 70 |
| Montana | $101K | -32% | 60 |
| Louisiana | $100K | -33% | 230 |
| Wyoming | $94K | -37% | 40 |
| Iowa | $91K | -39% | 120 |
| Mississippi | $88K | -40% | 160 |
| District of Columbia | $48K | -68% | 820 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track air traffic controllers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Detroit-Warren-Dearborn numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a air traffic controller afford a 2BR apartment alone in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Yes — at the median salary of $178K, rent takes 10.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,106/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for air traffic controllers in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new air traffic controllers typically earn — is $100K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,013/month. At HUD’s $1,106/month FMR, rent would take 18% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is air traffic controller a high-paying job in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $178K here vs. $148K nationally.
How does Detroit-Warren-Dearborn compare to the national average for air traffic controllers?
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn pays $178K median vs. the U.S. average of $148K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $178K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do air traffic controllers make in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?
The median is $178,310 a year, that works out to about $86 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $100,210, and experienced air traffic controllers can clear $214,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $178K enough to live in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,432/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,106/month, which eats 10.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a air traffic controllers salary go in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median air traffic controllers salary is worth about $177,777 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do air traffic controllers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.