Research Summary. After thorough analysis by the Zippia data science team, we present the latest insights on controller salaries across the United States for 2026:
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New York remains the highest-paying state for controllers with an average salary of $121,130.
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Hawaii has the lowest average controller salary at $73,288.
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The national average salary for controllers is $101,204.
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The national hourly wage for controllers is $48.66.
For more details, see our specific methodology.
Background
Consistently, salary remains the top concern for job seekers, especially in the controller profession. Understanding how much controllers earn in your area is crucial for career planning.
While individual salaries can vary based on several factors, comprehensive data on average salaries for controllers in each state, stratified by experience level, can provide a helpful guideline. Thus, knowing the state averages can assist in setting realistic salary expectations.
The state with the highest compensation for controllers remains New York.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for controller salaries:
Let’s delve into the details and present a comprehensive ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Controllers By State
| Rank | State | Average Controller Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $121,130 | $83,000 | $174,000 |
| 2 | Maine | $120,935 | $84,000 | $173,000 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $113,532 | $78,000 | $163,000 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $112,957 | $78,000 | $162,000 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $112,665 | $78,000 | $162,000 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $110,716 | $76,000 | $159,000 |
| 7 | California | $109,990 | $75,000 | $160,000 |
| 8 | Maryland | $103,680 | $72,000 | $149,000 |
| 9 | Washington | $103,219 | $72,000 | $146,000 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $102,998 | $71,000 | $148,000 |
| 11 | Virginia | $102,436 | $71,000 | $146,000 |
| 12 | Delaware | $101,298 | $70,000 | $145,000 |
| 13 | Vermont | $100,279 | $69,000 | $144,000 |
| 14 | Nevada | $99,332 | $68,000 | $144,000 |
| 15 | Oregon | $97,335 | $68,000 | $138,000 |
| 16 | Arizona | $94,788 | $65,000 | $136,000 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $93,883 | $65,000 | $135,000 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $93,603 | $65,000 | $133,000 |
| 19 | Michigan | $93,537 | $64,000 | $135,000 |
| 20 | Montana | $93,432 | $66,000 | $131,000 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $93,300 | $64,000 | $134,000 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $92,624 | $65,000 | $131,000 |
| 23 | Illinois | $91,557 | $63,000 | $131,000 |
| 24 | Texas | $90,395 | $63,000 | $129,000 |
| 25 | Ohio | $88,922 | $61,000 | $128,000 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $88,240 | $61,000 | $126,000 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $88,092 | $62,000 | $124,000 |
| 28 | Indiana | $86,083 | $59,000 | $123,000 |
| 29 | Utah | $85,460 | $59,000 | $122,000 |
| 30 | Missouri | $85,316 | $59,000 | $121,000 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $85,133 | $59,000 | $121,000 |
| 32 | Colorado | $84,632 | $59,000 | $120,000 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $84,011 | $59,000 | $119,000 |
| 34 | Georgia | $83,857 | $59,000 | $118,000 |
| 35 | Idaho | $83,350 | $58,000 | $119,000 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $83,291 | $57,000 | $119,000 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $82,888 | $57,000 | $118,000 |
| 38 | Kansas | $82,183 | $57,000 | $117,000 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $80,993 | $57,000 | $113,000 |
| 40 | Alabama | $80,937 | $57,000 | $114,000 |
| 41 | Iowa | $79,906 | $56,000 | $114,000 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $79,492 | $55,000 | $113,000 |
| 43 | Florida | $79,454 | $55,000 | $112,000 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $78,599 | $55,000 | $111,000 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $78,419 | $54,000 | $112,000 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $78,254 | $55,000 | $111,000 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $76,256 | $53,000 | $108,000 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $76,218 | $53,000 | $108,000 |
| 49 | Alaska | $75,847 | $59,000 | $96,000 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $73,288 | $56,000 | $94,000 |
Methodology: Controller Salary By State
To gain a comprehensive understanding of controller salaries by state, Zippia has compiled data from various reputable sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. This information is further supplemented with actual salary listings from job postings. The data science team calculates a weighted average of these inputs to determine the average compensation for controllers by state.
We ranked each state based on the average annual salary estimates for controllers, with the state offering the highest salary receiving the top rank.
Controller Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for controllers?
The highest-paid state for controllers is New York, with an average salary of $121,130 per year.
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What city pays controllers the most?
Portland, ME offers the highest salaries for controllers, averaging $121,606 per year.
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What is the worst state for controllers?
The state with the lowest average salary for controllers is Hawaii, with an average salary of $73,288 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
