The highest-paying states for air traffic controllers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment of air traffic controllers in those states are also shown in the table. As shown in the table, with an annual salary of $169,940, Virginia is the highest paying state for air traffic controllers. It is followed by New Hampshire (average annual salary $166,570). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in April 2023 [1]. For more salary information of air traffic controllers in a specific state, use the links in the table.
| Rank | State | Average Salary i | Entry Level Salary i |
# of Empl. i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $169,940 |
$92,910 | 1,060 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $166,570 |
$74,110 | 430 |
| 3 | Georgia | $163,550 |
$88,880 | 890 |
| 4 | Illinois | $160,010 |
$79,250 | 870 |
| 5 | Colorado | $159,580 |
$78,400 | 680 |
| 6 | New York | $159,200 |
$74,040 | 1,060 |
| 7 | Texas | $157,310 |
$85,920 | 1,810 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $156,870 |
$75,820 | 550 |
| 9 | Washington | $147,620 |
$82,160 | 560 |
| 10 | Ohio | $146,020 |
$74,980 | 680 |
| 11 | Kansas | $143,830 |
$69,970 | 420 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $143,170 |
$32,550 | 490 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $141,250 |
$87,880 | 190 |
| 14 | Utah | $140,230 |
$68,560 | 360 |
| 15 | Indiana | $139,940 |
$73,050 | 600 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $138,670 |
$78,100 | 570 |
| 17 | California | $133,640 |
$70,640 | 2,350 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $132,270 |
$69,120 | 340 |
| 19 | Florida | $129,560 |
$79,960 | 1,930 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $120,560 |
$84,540 | 180 |
| 21 | Alaska | $115,610 |
$77,980 | 440 |
| 22 | Arizona | $115,420 |
$73,720 | 370 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $114,110 |
$75,550 | 360 |
| 24 | Nevada | $113,210 |
$69,120 | 230 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $112,470 |
$78,810 | 180 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $108,280 |
$74,580 | 260 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $106,180 |
$76,810 | 90 |
| 28 | Idaho | $105,400 |
$74,070 | 50 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | $105,040 |
$73,770 | 50 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $104,750 |
$68,370 | 130 |
| 31 | Oregon | $103,080 |
$69,810 | 170 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $102,440 |
$73,630 | 180 |
| 33 | Alabama | $101,940 |
$78,620 | 240 |
| 34 | Missouri | $101,610 |
$73,630 | 230 |
| 35 | Michigan | $100,830 |
$68,720 | 390 |
| 36 | Massachusetts | $97,910 |
$75,870 | 120 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $96,510 |
$73,590 | 490 |
| 38 | Maryland | $95,640 |
$68,930 | 110 |
| 39 | Puerto Rico | $94,720 |
$61,460 | 140 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $93,870 |
$74,360 | 70 |
| 41 | Vermont | $92,440 |
$57,760 | 40 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $90,060 |
$61,050 | 220 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $88,770 |
$68,140 | 120 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $88,770 |
$71,220 | 240 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $87,840 |
$59,840 | 80 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $86,050 |
$74,170 | 40 |
| 47 | Guam | $85,500 |
$70,240 | 50 |
| 48 | Iowa | $84,430 |
$71,320 | 90 |
| 49 | Montana | $79,410 |
$66,230 | 70 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $78,040 |
$59,910 | 130 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $77,580 |
$66,230 | 40 |