Air traffic controller vs aircraft dispatcher

The differences between air traffic controllers and aircraft dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an air traffic controller has an average salary of $49,141, which is higher than the $44,527 average annual salary of an aircraft dispatcher.

The top three skills for an air traffic controller include federal aviation administration, air traffic control and NAS. The most important skills for an aircraft dispatcher are flight operations, maintenance control, and on-the-job training.

Air traffic controller vs aircraft dispatcher overview

	Air Traffic Controller	Aircraft Dispatcher
Yearly salary	$49,141	$44,527
Hourly rate	$23.63	$21.41
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	17,944	7,153
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	-	-

Air traffic controller vs aircraft dispatcher salary

Air traffic controllers and aircraft dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Air Traffic Controller	Aircraft Dispatcher
Average salary	$49,141	$44,527
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $90,000	Between $25,000 And $78,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	-
Highest paying state	Connecticut	-
Best paying company	SAIC	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between air traffic controller and aircraft dispatcher education

There are a few differences between an air traffic controller and an aircraft dispatcher in terms of educational background:

	Air Traffic Controller	Aircraft Dispatcher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Aviation	Aviation
Most common college	SUNY Farmingdale	SUNY Farmingdale

Air traffic controller vs aircraft dispatcher demographics

Here are the differences between air traffic controllers' and aircraft dispatchers' demographics:

	Air Traffic Controller	Aircraft Dispatcher
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 78.1% Female, 21.9%	Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 5.3% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 5.3% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between air traffic controller and aircraft dispatcher duties and responsibilities

Air traffic controller example responsibilities.

Lead recruitment and training for first ever associate operational combat flying organization.
Assign as SME for the Milstar AFCPT maintenance course.
Represent the hospital by attending the monthly APIC meetings.
Comply with all AWP policies, procedures and safety requirements.
Have certification in traffic control, CPR, and OSHA.
Assist in the creation of several (NOTAMS) notice to airmen.

Aircraft dispatcher example responsibilities.

Schedule flight crews for assignments, mange corporate aircraft fleet, manage charter customer base, manage record keeping for FAA requirements
Monitor airborne aircraft and communicate weather, NOTAMS, and airfield updates to the crew.
Plan flights with consideration of weather, NOTAMS, aircraft capabilities, company requirements and aircraft airworthiness.
Originate and disseminate flight information to others in the company including stations and reservations.
Coordinate with DOD and OSHA during on-site inspections.

Air traffic controller vs aircraft dispatcher skills

Common air traffic controller skills

Federal Aviation Administration, 21%
Air Traffic Control, 20%
NAS, 18%
Maximize Safety, 3%
CTO, 3%
Emergency Situations, 3%

Common aircraft dispatcher skills

Flight Operations, 14%
Maintenance Control, 10%
On-The-Job Training, 10%
Aircraft Maintenance, 9%
Air Traffic Control, 6%
Flight Planning System, 5%

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Air Traffic Controller
Air Traffic Controller vs Aircraft Dispatcher

Updated January 8, 2025

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