Find Trade Colleges

Air Traffic Controllers in California

Want to work in California as an Air Traffic Controller? Read this first!

8.3% Jobs Projection

$141,970 Median Salary

250 Job Openings

You’re in luck! Jobs for Air Traffic Controllers in California are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

Projected employment for Air Traffic Controllers in California is growing faster than average.
Air Traffic Controllers in California earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

What Major Will Prepare You For an Air Traffic Controller Career?

How Many Air Traffic Controllers Work in California?

In 2018, there were 2,240 Air Traffic Controllers working in the state.

There were 2,180 Air Traffic Controllers employed in this state in 2017.

That’s growth of 60 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 255 Air Traffic Controllers working in it, which means California has more Air Traffic Controllers than average.

Job Projections for California

Jobs for Air Traffic Controllers in this state are growing at a rate of 8.3% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 3.6%.

California Annual Job Openings

The BLS is projecting 250 annual Air Traffic Controllers job openings in California, and 2,600 total jobs in the year 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 2,400 annual jobs and 25,800 total jobs in 2026.

What do Air Traffic Controllers Make in California?

In 2018 wages for Air Traffic Controllers ranged from $79,580 to $188,750 with $141,970 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $38.26 to $90.75. The median hourly rate was $68.26.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $67.73 an hour.

The hourly rate grew by $0.53.

The median salary in California is higher than the nationwide median salary.

Explore Best Ranked Schools for You

Explore the best ranked schools for the programs you are most interested in.

Top California Metros for Air Traffic Controllers

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Air Traffic Controllers.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA	250	$150,230
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	60	$101,030

Top States for Air Traffic Controllers Employment

View the list below to see where most Air Traffic Controllers work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
California	2,240	$141,970
Texas	1,880	$142,980
New York	1,230	$135,230
Virginia	1,090	$150,880
Georgia	990	$145,770
Illinois	940	$150,960
Colorado	710	$136,610
Ohio	690	$139,970
Indiana	620	$131,250
Minnesota	600	$141,360
North Carolina	520	$100,710
New Hampshire	440	$146,080
Kansas	420	$133,040
Pennsylvania	400	$109,900
Arizona	380	$103,350
Utah	370	$125,600
Michigan	360	$99,360
Oklahoma	360	$109,230
New Mexico	340	$122,090
Louisiana	290	$82,630

Below are the states where Air Traffic Controllers get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
Illinois	$150,960
Virginia	$150,880
New Hampshire	$146,080
Georgia	$145,770
Texas	$142,980
California	$141,970
Minnesota	$141,360
Ohio	$139,970
Colorado	$136,610
New York	$135,230

Discover similar careers:

Occupation	California Employment Total
Airfield Operations Specialists	1,470

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

TradeCollege.org provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. TradeCollege.org is a for-profit site, and the displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.