U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense) / Department of Transportation / Air Traffic Control

Job-title file

Air Traffic Control

Carry out the duties of this position in support of the agency's public mission.

17,900 employees hold this title in Department of Transportation. Median total compensation for the role is $161,255, above the department median of $137,624.

Employees: 17,900
Total payroll: $2.7B
Role median: $161,255
Agency median: $137,624
Comparison: Above

What the records show

Role pay distribution

Pay distribution for this role

$35,947$228,021+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How total compensation varies among the 17,900 people in this role. Even for one job title, pay differs with seniority, step, overtime, and tenure. Each bar is a pay range; the far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Compared with the local labor market

Air Traffic Control pay vs. the United States

Across all employers in the United States, the median wage for Air Traffic Controllers — about 22,510 people — is $148,080. Department of Transportation pays a median base salary of $160,587 for this role, 8% above that figure — about the 57th percentile of local pay for the occupation.

Where Department of Transportation sits in the local pay range

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$78,420

$104,520

$148,080

$190,570

$215,610

Department of Transportation median · $160,587

The bar is the range of annual wages for Air Traffic Controllers across every employer in the United States, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with the middle 50% highlighted. The marker shows Department of Transportation’s median base salary for this role. Both figures are base pay only.

Computed over the 17,550 of 17,900 people in this role paid at least $25,000 in base salary. The rest are part-year or part-time records, whose actual pay isn’t comparable to a full-time annual wage.

Median total compensation for this role at Department of Transportation is $161,255, which includes overtime and employer-paid benefits. The benchmark above excludes both, so total compensation is deliberately not compared against it.

Benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) covers all employers in the area — private, non-profit, and government alike — so this is a comparison against the whole local labor market for the occupation, not against private-sector pay. OEWS wages are straight-time pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials, and employer-paid benefits, so the government figure shown here is base pay on the same basis. Total compensation is not comparable to it. Job titles are matched to the closest standard occupation, so the comparison is between similar work rather than an identical job classification.

Record list

Employees with this title

Page 11

Michael Ries

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,859

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,859
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,859
Pay grade: Dc
Work city: Mansfield
Work county: Richland
Work state: Ohio

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,859
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 394680139
Length of Service (Years): 4
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Michael Ries holds the role of Air Traffic Control at Department of Transportation based in Mansfield, Ohio. In 2024, their total compensation was $55,859. Their pay grade is Dc.

Anthony Tompkins

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,859

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,859
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,859
Pay grade: Lc
Work city: Oberlin
Work county: Lorain
Work state: Ohio

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,859
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 396140093
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

At Department of Transportation, Anthony Tompkins serves as a Air Traffic Control based in Oberlin, Ohio. Their 2024 pay totaled $55,859. They are classified at grade Lc.

Madison Violand

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,859

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,859
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,859
Pay grade: Lc
Work city: Oberlin
Work county: Lorain
Work state: Ohio

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,859
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 396140093
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

At Department of Transportation, Madison Violand serves as a Air Traffic Control based in Oberlin, Ohio. Their 2024 pay totaled $55,859. They are classified at grade Lc.

Jacob Carr

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,813

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,813
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,813
Pay grade: Fc
Work city: Richmond
Work county: Richmond
Work state: Virginia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,813
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 512060760
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Jacob Carr works as a Air Traffic Control for Department of Transportation based in Richmond, Virginia. Jacob earned $55,813 in 2024. Their pay grade is Fc.

Michael Golod

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,813

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,813
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,813
Pay grade: Fc
Work city: Richmond
Work county: Richmond
Work state: Virginia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,813
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 512060760
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Michael Golod is a Air Traffic Control at Department of Transportation based in Richmond, Virginia. 2024 total compensation came to $55,813. They are classified at grade Fc.

Andrew Fritz

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,808

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,808
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,808
Pay grade: Fc
Work city: Fayetteville
Work county: Cumberland
Work state: North Carolina

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,808
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 371670051
Length of Service (Years): 3
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Andrew Fritz is a Air Traffic Control at Department of Transportation based in Fayetteville, North Carolina. 2024 total compensation came to $55,808. They are classified at grade Fc.

Kaylie Christy

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,758

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,758
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,758
Pay grade: Kc
Work city: Honolulu
Work county: Honolulu
Work state: Hawaii

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,758
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 152400003
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Kaylie Christy works as a Air Traffic Control for Department of Transportation based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Kaylie earned $55,758 in 2024. Their pay grade is Kc.

Kayla Malta

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,758

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,758
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,758
Pay grade: Ec
Work city: Hilo
Work county: Hawaii
Work state: Hawaii

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,758
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 151900001
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Kayla Malta holds the role of Air Traffic Control at Department of Transportation based in Hilo, Hawaii. In 2024, their total compensation was $55,758. Their pay grade is Ec.

Sarah Hwang

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,758

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,758
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,758
Pay grade: Kc
Work city: Honolulu
Work county: Honolulu
Work state: Hawaii

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,758
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 152400003
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Sarah Hwang holds the role of Air Traffic Control at Department of Transportation based in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2024, their total compensation was $55,758. Their pay grade is Kc.

Tanner Kane

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,758

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,758
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,758
Pay grade: Kc
Work city: Honolulu
Work county: Honolulu
Work state: Hawaii

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,758
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 152400003
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Tanner Kane is a Air Traffic Control at Department of Transportation based in Honolulu, Hawaii. 2024 total compensation came to $55,758. They are classified at grade Kc.

Keelan Okazaki

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,758

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,758
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,758
Pay grade: Kc
Work city: Honolulu
Work county: Honolulu
Work state: Hawaii

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,758
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 152400003
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Keelan Okazaki works as a Air Traffic Control for Department of Transportation based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Keelan earned $55,758 in 2024. Their pay grade is Kc.

Tyler Wennes

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,758

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,758
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,758
Pay grade: Kc
Work city: Honolulu
Work county: Honolulu
Work state: Hawaii

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,758
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 152400003
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Tyler Wennes is a Air Traffic Control at Department of Transportation based in Honolulu, Hawaii. 2024 total compensation came to $55,758. They are classified at grade Kc.

Aldo Cornejo

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,616

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,616
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,616
Pay grade: Gc
Work city: Huntsville
Work county: Madison
Work state: Alabama

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,616
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 011730089
Length of Service (Years): 1
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Aldo Cornejo holds the role of Air Traffic Control at Department of Transportation based in Huntsville, Alabama. In 2024, their total compensation was $55,616. Their pay grade is Gc.

Timothy Filson

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,295

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,295
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,295
Pay grade: Ec
Work city: West Mifflin
Work county: Allegheny
Work state: Pennsylvania

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,295
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 429170003
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Timothy Filson holds the role of Air Traffic Control at Department of Transportation based in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. In 2024, their total compensation was $55,295. Their pay grade is Ec.

Chasity Otteridge

Air Traffic Control/Department of Transportation

2024 total comp

$55,295

Sub-department: Federal Aviation Administration
Base pay: $55,295
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,295
Pay grade: Ec
Work city: West Mifflin
Work county: Allegheny
Work state: Pennsylvania

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,295
Basic Pay (before locality): $45,782
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 429170003
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 2152
Pay Plan (OPM): AT

Chasity Otteridge is a Air Traffic Control at Department of Transportation based in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. 2024 total compensation came to $55,295. They are classified at grade Ec.