Air Traffic Controllers Salary
The median pay for a air traffic controllers in Pennsylvania is $132,350/year ($63.63/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $81K at the entry level to $226K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $139,360 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 16.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
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What $132K actually covers in Pennsylvania, month by month
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pay for air traffic controllers in Pennsylvania runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $148K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 16.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Pennsylvania can be a reasonable trade-off for air traffic controllers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level air traffic controllers (10th percentile) start around $81K. Mid-career wages sit at $132K. Top earners bring in $226K or more, a $144K spread from bottom to top.
Air Traffic Controllers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $199K | +50% | 220 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a air traffic controller afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $132K, rent takes 16.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for air traffic controllers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new air traffic controllers typically earn — is $81K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,268/month. At HUD’s $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $132K here vs. $148K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for air traffic controllers?
Pennsylvania pays $132K median vs. the U.S. average of $148K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $139K — below the national median.
How much do air traffic controllers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $132,350 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $81,490, and experienced air traffic controllers can clear $225,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $132K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,096/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 16.7% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $139,360 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.