Air Traffic Controllers Salary
The median pay for a air traffic controllers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $119,230/year ($57.32/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $85K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $121,738 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,713/month, or 22.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $119K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Pay for air traffic controllers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $148K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,713/month, 23.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk can be a reasonable trade-off for air traffic controllerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for air traffic controllers in metros near Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $175K | $161K |
| 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, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level air traffic controllers (10th percentile) start around $85K. Mid-career wages sit at $119K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $64K 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a air traffic controller afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Yes — at the median salary of $119K, rent takes 23.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for air traffic controllers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new air traffic controllers typically earn — is $85K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,084/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $119K here vs. $148K nationally.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for air traffic controllers?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $119K median vs. the U.S. average of $148K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $122K — below the national median.
How much do air traffic controllers make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $119,230 a year, that works out to about $57 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $84,740, and experienced air traffic controllers can clear $148,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $119K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,159/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 23.9% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (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 $121,738 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.