Air Traffic Controllers Salary
The median pay for a air traffic controllers in Kentucky is $127,800/year ($61.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $169K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $141,638 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 14.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Kentucky. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $128K get you in Kentucky?
About air traffic controllers
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for air traffic controllers in Kentucky runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $148K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 14.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Kentucky can be a reasonable trade-off for air traffic controllerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level air traffic controllers (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $128K. Top earners bring in $169K or more, a $103K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track air traffic controllers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a air traffic controller afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $128K, rent takes 14.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for air traffic controllers in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new air traffic controllers typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,969/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is air traffic controller a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $128K here vs. $148K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for air traffic controllers?
Kentucky pays $128K median vs. the U.S. average of $148K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $142K — below the national median.
How much do air traffic controllers make in Kentucky?
The median is $127,800 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,150, and experienced air traffic controllers can clear $168,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $128K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,749/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $141,638 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.