Air traffic controller salary?

Question

Does anyone know how much they make? Is it worth the stress and what is the training like? I am seriously considering this so please only serious answers. Thanks.

Answer 1

Base pay scale is here.

https://employees.faa.gov/employee_servi...

The site I knew that listed facility levels isn't around any more. For towers, most are between levels 5 and 10 with 4 and lower typically contracted out and 11 and 12's typically being TRACONS and ARTCCs. I have a hard copy of all the facility levels. If you are looking for the level of a specific place, let me know and I'll look it up for you.

Answer 2

Refer to the chart this link points to.  Keep in mind that in many areas of the country locality pay will add  approximately 12 - 30 percent to the pay:

https://employees.faa.gov/employee_servi...

(Shameless cut and paste) explanation of the chart:

At the top of the pay scale are nine columns numbered from 4 to 12. They represent the facility complexity level.

On the left side of the page is the Career Level column. This column represents your progression through the training program. It has been divided into five sections described below:

AG: Initial hire pay grade. This is the pay grade that all off-the-street (OFTS) and Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) students will be paid AFTER they graduate from the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City.  Veteran Military controllers hired under the VRA program will begin this pay grade on the first day of class at the FAA Academy. All Academy students will receive per diem pay to help cover the cost of food and lodging while you are in Oklahoma City.

D1: This is the first pay raise. AFTER you have completed 25% of the training requirements at your duty facility, you will be promoted to this pay band. ARTCC controllers: this is after you are certified on 2-3 D-Sides in your area. Terminal controllers: Sorry...don't have an answer for you.

D2: This the second pay raise. AFTER you have completed 50% of the training requirements at your duty facility, you will be promoted to this pay band. ARTCC controllers: this is after you are certified on ALL D-Sides in your area.

D3: This is the third pay raise. AFTER you have completed 75% of the training requirements at your duty facility, you will be promoted to this pay band. ARTCC controllers: this is after you have completed radar school, and are certified on 2-3 radar positions.

CPC: This is the final pay raise you will receive when you have completed the training program.

Answer 3

I just came out of the academy in December.  They resumed paying per diem my 3rd week there, so the pay was pretty good.  While in Oklahoma you will be paid $18,000 per annum with $79.20 per diem.  This equates to about $46,000 per year.  Terminal option classes last 6 weeks, while en-route classes last 12 weeks.  After Oklahoma, I went to a level 12 ARTCC.  There I make $40,677 per year.  So you graduate from 3 months of training in OKC to make less doing the real thing...  However, upon becoming a CPC in about 2 years, I can expect to make around $100,000.  Controllers retiring from my area are making upwards of $160,000 after 25 years on the job.  Bottom line, if you can suffer through 2 or 3 years of training, the job will pay off.  I'm 25 and I will be eligible to retire in 25 years, when I will be only 50 years old.  Retirees are paid a pension of about 55% of an average of their 3 highest paid annual salaries.  If you avg. $160,000 in your "high 3" you would make $88,000 per year for the rest of your life, with cost of living raises.  For me, it's not about the money.  You're not going to be rich, but you will be comfortable.   It is intense, but if you apply yourself and study, you will avoid the stressful situations.  Feel free to e-mail if you have other questions.