Air Traffic Controllers Salary
The median pay for a air traffic controllers in Kansas City, MO-KS is $161,700/year ($77.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $86K at the entry level to $199K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.54), which stretches that salary to about $174,735 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,358/month, or 13.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $162K get you in Kansas City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kansas City’s Regional Price Parity (92.54). 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
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What this looks like in Kansas City
Air traffic controllers pay in Kansas City tracks closely to the national median, $162K locally vs. $148K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,358/month, 14.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for air traffic controllers in metros near Kansas City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $128K | $134K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $190K | $183K |
| Oklahoma City | $147K | $162K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $156K | $161K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas City, MO-KS
Entry-level air traffic controllers (10th percentile) start around $86K. Mid-career wages sit at $162K. Top earners bring in $199K or more, a $113K 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 with published data
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 Kansas City numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a air traffic controller afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas City?
Yes — at the median salary of $162K, rent takes 14.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,358/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for air traffic controllers in Kansas City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new air traffic controllers typically earn — is $86K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,148/month. At HUD’s $1,358/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is air traffic controller a high-paying job in Kansas City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $162K locally vs. $148K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Kansas City compare to the national average for air traffic controllers?
Kansas City pays $162K median vs. the U.S. average of $148K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $175K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do air traffic controllers make in Kansas City, MO-KS?
The median is $161,700 a year, that works out to about $78 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $85,800, and experienced air traffic controllers can clear $199,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $162K enough to live in Kansas City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,527/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,358/month, which eats 14.3% 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 City?
Kansas City has a Regional Price Parity of 92.54 (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 $174,735 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.