Air Traffic Controllers Salary
The median pay for a air traffic controllers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $174,870/year ($84.07/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $226K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $160,608 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,246/month, or 21.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $175K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for air traffic controllers, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $148K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,246/month, 22.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria offers a genuinely strong financial position for air traffic controllerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for air traffic controllers in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 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, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level air traffic controllers (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $175K. Top earners bring in $226K or more, a $178K 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a air traffic controller afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Yes — at the median salary of $175K, rent takes 22.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for air traffic controllers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new air traffic controllers typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,866/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 78% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $175K here vs. $148K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for air traffic controllers?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $175K median vs. the U.S. average of $148K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $161K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do air traffic controllers make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $174,870 a year, that works out to about $84 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,760, and experienced air traffic controllers can clear $225,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $175K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,854/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 22.8% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $160,608 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.