Air Traffic Controllers Salary
The median pay for a air traffic controllers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is $193,360/year ($92.96/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $102K at the entry level to $226K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 115.61), so that salary is closer to $167,252 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,604/month, about 32.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $193K get you in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont’s Regional Price Parity (115.61). 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont sits well above the national pay line for air traffic controllers, local pay runs about 31% higher than the U.S. median of $148K. Rent runs $3,604/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 16% above the national average (BEA RPP 115.61), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for air traffic controllers in metros near San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $173K | $152K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $196K | $184K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $94K | $88K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $161K | $156K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Entry-level air traffic controllers (10th percentile) start around $102K. Mid-career wages sit at $193K. Top earners bring in $226K or more, a $124K 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a air traffic controller afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $193K, rent takes 33.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,604/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $3,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for air traffic controllers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new air traffic controllers typically earn — is $102K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,130/month. At HUD’s $3,604/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is air traffic controller a high-paying job in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Local pay is 31% above the national median — $193K here vs. $148K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 16% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont compare to the national average for air traffic controllers?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays $193K median vs. the U.S. average of $148K — that’s +31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 115.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $167K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do air traffic controllers make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The median is $193,360 a year, that works out to about $93 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $102,170, and experienced air traffic controllers can clear $225,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $193K enough to live in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,822/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,604/month, which eats 33.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a air traffic controllers salary go in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has a Regional Price Parity of 115.61 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median air traffic controllers salary is worth about $167,252 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.