Home / Apprenticeships / Occupations / Air Traffic Controllers
Air Traffic Controllers: apprenticeship hours and pay
O*NET-SOC 53-2021.00
Approved titles
1
RAPIDS codes
Shortest term
2,000 h
minimum on the list
National median pay
$148,080
a year, BLS May 2025
Jobs nationally
22,510
BLS May 2025
Approved apprenticeship titles
- Training approaches
- competency-based, hybrid, time-based
- Shortest approved term
- 2,000 hours, Air Traffic Controller (competency-based)
- State medians
- $191,820 in Virginia to $47,760 in District of Columbia (45 states publish one)
| Title | RAPIDS code | Approach and term |
|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Controller | 1101 | Competency-Based: 2,000 hours Hybrid: 2,000 to 2,500 hours Time-Based: 2,000 hours |
What air traffic controllers earn, by state
| State | Median pay | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $191,820 | $92.22 | 1,120 |
| Illinois | $181,560 | $87.29 | 990 |
| Georgia | $178,420 | $85.78 | 970 |
| Colorado | $177,380 | $85.28 | 740 |
| Minnesota | $176,840 | $85.02 | 680 |
| Texas | $170,080 | $81.77 | 2,060 |
| Washington | $162,570 | $78.16 | 620 |
| California | $160,080 | $76.96 | 2,290 |
| Kansas | $159,700 | $76.78 | 430 |
| Indiana | $158,810 | $76.35 | 630 |
| Hawaii | $158,700 | $76.30 | 210 |
| Utah | $158,310 | $76.11 | 360 |
| Tennessee | $157,330 | $75.64 | 590 |
| New Mexico | $148,550 | $71.42 | 350 |
| Florida | $147,530 | $70.93 | 1,950 |
| New York | $144,960 | $69.69 | 1,150 |
| Connecticut | $140,940 | $67.76 | Not published |
| Nevada | $140,920 | $67.75 | 210 |
| Arizona | $136,800 | $65.77 | 380 |
| Pennsylvania | $132,350 | $63.63 | 460 |
| New Jersey | $132,230 | $63.57 | 190 |
| Maryland | $131,290 | $63.12 | 70 |
| North Carolina | $129,230 | $62.13 | 410 |
| Kentucky | $127,800 | $61.44 | 230 |
| Rhode Island | $126,300 | $60.72 | 50 |
| Puerto Rico | $125,780 | $60.47 | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $125,060 | $60.13 | 120 |
| Alaska | $123,950 | $59.59 | 490 |
| Oklahoma | $123,220 | $59.24 | 270 |
| Missouri | $122,200 | $58.75 | 260 |
| Michigan | $118,930 | $57.18 | 360 |
| Alabama | $114,960 | $55.27 | 240 |
| South Carolina | $112,030 | $53.86 | 190 |
| Nebraska | $111,710 | $53.71 | 70 |
| Arkansas | $109,760 | $52.77 | 80 |
| Vermont | $109,140 | $52.47 | 30 |
| North Dakota | $107,990 | $51.92 | 100 |
| Maine | $107,270 | $51.57 | 70 |
| Montana | $101,380 | $48.74 | 60 |
| Louisiana | $99,810 | $47.99 | 230 |
| Wyoming | $93,580 | $44.99 | 40 |
| Iowa | $90,790 | $43.65 | 120 |
| Mississippi | $88,110 | $42.36 | 160 |
| Guam | $82,830 | $39.82 | 40 |
| District of Columbia | $47,760 | $22.96 | 820 |
Finding a program
How to find a sponsor that trains this title · Apprenticeship sponsors by state (25,633) · All approved occupations
- Approved titles and terms: apprenticeship.gov approved occupations list, Last-Modified October 8, 2026, read October 8, 2026.
- Pay and jobs: BLS OEWS, May 2025, all industries, read October 8, 2026.