Air Traffic Controllers Salary
The median pay for a air traffic controllers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN is $155,540/year ($74.78/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $102K at the entry level to $177K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.34), that's roughly $161,449 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,730/month, or 17.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $156K get you in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin’s Regional Price Parity (96.34). 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
Air traffic controllers pay in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin tracks closely to the national median, $156K locally vs. $148K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,730/month, 17.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for air traffic controllers in metros near Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $187K | $187K |
| Kansas City | $162K | $175K |
| St. Louis | $128K | $134K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $119K | $122K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Entry-level air traffic controllers (10th percentile) start around $102K. Mid-career wages sit at $156K. Top earners bring in $177K or more, a $75K 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a air traffic controller afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Yes — at the median salary of $156K, rent takes 17.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,730/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for air traffic controllers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new air traffic controllers typically earn — is $102K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,125/month. At HUD’s $1,730/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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $156K locally vs. $148K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin compare to the national average for air traffic controllers?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin pays $156K median vs. the U.S. average of $148K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $161K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do air traffic controllers make in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
The median is $155,540 a year, that works out to about $75 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $102,090, and experienced air traffic controllers can clear $177,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $156K enough to live in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,755/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,730/month, which eats 17.7% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has a Regional Price Parity of 96.34 (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 $161,449 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.