How to become an Air Traffic Controller

Official title: Air Traffic Controllers

Also called: ATCS (Air Traffic Control Specialist), Center ATC (Center Air Traffic Controller), Certified Professional Controller (CPC), Developmental Air Traffic Controller, Developmental ATCS (Developmental Air Traffic Control Specialist), Enroute ATCS (Enroute Air Traffic Control Specialist), Radar Air Traffic Controller, Terminal ATC Specialist (Terminal Air Traffic Control Specialist), Terminal Radar Approach Controller, Tower ATC (Tower Air Traffic Controller)

Control air traffic on and within vicinity of airport, and movement of air traffic between altitude sectors and control centers, according to established procedures and policies. Authorize, regulate, and control commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety.

Main tasks

• Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems.
• Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references.
• Monitor, direct, or sequence the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety.
• Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties.
• Maintain radio or telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, or other area control centers to coordinate aircraft movement.
• Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.
• Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations.
• Direct pilots to runways when space is available or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land.

How to become one

There are several paths to becoming an air traffic controller. Candidates typically need an associate's or a bachelor's degree from the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative program, several years of progressively responsible work experience, or a combination of education and experience. They also must be a U.S. citizen, submit to medical and background checks, and complete training at Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) academy.

Typical education to start: Associate's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Air Traffic Controller.
• Certificate or associate's degree: Associate's degree. Programs such as Air Traffic Controller

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $148,080 a year The middle half earn $104,520 to $190,570.
• About 24,000 people work in this job now, and about 24,400 are projected by 2035. (+1.7%)
• People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Related jobs

• Airfield Operations Specialists
• Commercial Pilots
• Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
• Flight Attendants

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Air Traffic Controller?

There are several paths to becoming an air traffic controller. Candidates typically need an associate's or a bachelor's degree from the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative program, several years of progressively responsible work experience, or a combination of education and experience. They also must be a U.S. citizen, submit to medical and background checks, and complete training at Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) academy.

How much does an Air Traffic Controller earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $148,080 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $104,520 to $190,570.

Is an Air Traffic Controller a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 24,000 people now and 24,400 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Air Traffic Controller?

Not always. 42% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Associate's degree; Air Traffic Controller.

Will AI change the work of an Air Traffic Controller?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.