Air Traffic Controllers Salary
The median pay for a air traffic controllers in Kansas is $159,700/year ($76.78/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $82K at the entry level to $199K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.54), which stretches that salary to about $178,356 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,066/month, or 11% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Kansas. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $160K get you in Kansas?
About air traffic controllers
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What this looks like in Kansas
Air traffic controllers pay in Kansas tracks closely to the national median, $160K locally vs. $148K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,066/month, 11.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas
Entry-level air traffic controllers (10th percentile) start around $82K. Mid-career wages sit at $160K. Top earners bring in $199K or more, a $117K spread from bottom to top.
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a air traffic controller afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $160K, rent takes 11.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,066/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for air traffic controllers in Kansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new air traffic controllers typically earn — is $82K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,924/month. At HUD’s $1,066/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is air traffic controller a high-paying job in Kansas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $160K locally vs. $148K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Kansas compare to the national average for air traffic controllers?
Kansas pays $160K median vs. the U.S. average of $148K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $178K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do air traffic controllers make in Kansas?
The median is $159,700 a year, that works out to about $77 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $82,060, and experienced air traffic controllers can clear $199,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $160K enough to live in Kansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,289/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,066/month, which eats 11.5% 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 Kansas?
Kansas has a Regional Price Parity of 89.54 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median air traffic controllers salary is worth about $178,356 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.