How to hire an air traffic controller

Air traffic controller hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring air traffic controllers in the United States:

HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
The median cost to hire an air traffic controller is $1,633.
Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per air traffic controller on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
There are currently 9,062 air traffic controllers in the US and 17,944 job openings.
New Orleans, LA, has the highest demand for air traffic controllers, with 3 job openings.
San Diego, CA has the highest concentration of air traffic controllers.

How to hire an air traffic controller, step by step

To hire an air traffic controller, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire an air traffic controller:

Here's a step-by-step air traffic controller hiring guide:

Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
Step 3: Make a budget
Step 4: Write an air traffic controller job description
Step 5: Post your job
Step 6: Interview candidates
Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new air traffic controller
Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an air traffic controller do?

An air traffic controller specializes in overseeing and directing airspace traffic, all while maintaining an active line of communication with aircraft to ensure safe and efficient air travels. Generally assigned in ground control centers and towers, an air traffic controller's responsibilities revolve around utilizing technology to monitor flight paths, weather, and airport runways to guide pilots and airport personnel, coordinating with other control officers, inspecting and maintaining instruments and equipment in good condition, and alerting departments and assigned personnel should there be any emergencies.

Learn more about the specifics of what an air traffic controller does

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Identify your hiring needs

The air traffic controller hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

Determine employee vs contractor status

Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

Hiring the perfect air traffic controller also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

Here's a comparison of air traffic controller salaries for various roles:

Type of Air Traffic Controller	Description	Hourly rate
Air Traffic Controller	Air traffic controllers coordinate the movement of air traffic to ensure that aircraft stay safe distances apart.	$12-43
Traffic Controller	The primary role of a traffic controller is to direct the flow of machinery and vehicles on roads and any other work sites. Traffic controllers coordinate, setup, manage, and remove traffic control... Show more	$11-30

Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Air Traffic Control
- NAS
- Maximize Safety
- CTO
- Emergency Situations
- IFR
- On-The-Job Training
- DOD
- Expeditious Flow
- Flight Data
- Terminal Air Traffic
- Radar Approach
- Flight Operations
Check all skills
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.
More air traffic controller duties

Make a budget

Including a salary range in your air traffic controller job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An air traffic controller can vary based on:

Location. For example, air traffic controllers' average salary in kansas is 55% less than in connecticut.
Seniority. Entry-level air traffic controllers 71% less than senior-level air traffic controllers.
Certifications. An air traffic controller with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an air traffic controller's salary.

Average air traffic controller salary

$49,141yearly

$23.63 hourly rate

Entry-level air traffic controller salary

$26,000 yearly salary

Updated December 14, 2025

Average air traffic controller salary by state

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	District of Columbia	$60,529	$29
2	Virginia	$60,387	$29
3	Arizona	$54,020	$26
4	Ohio	$50,337	$24
5	Louisiana	$46,603	$22
6	Texas	$44,089	$21

Average air traffic controller salary by company

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
1	SAIC	$71,549	$34.40	97
2	Acuity Insurance	$68,383	$32.88
3	Serco	$68,371	$32.87	42
4	Us Army Reserves	$50,664	$24.36
5	Serco	$49,887	$23.98
6	Science	$49,887	$23.98
7	Amazon	$45,093	$21.68	6
8	Aims Community College	$30,219	$14.53	1

Writing an air traffic controller job description
An air traffic controller job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an air traffic controller job description:
Air traffic controller job description example
SAIC is seeking an ASCCE Model Controller/Exercise Gamer to support the US Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation (AFAMS) program.

AFAMS is the premier agency responsible for implementation, integration, and development of Modeling and Simulation (M&S) and training and analysis standards that support the US Air Force (USAF), Department of Defense (DoD), and mission partners requiring these capabilities to support the Warfighter in full-spectrum operations.

The ASCCE Model controller/Exercise Gamer shall support worldwide Air Force and Joint/Coalition partners in executing Tier 1 and 2 exercises on request. The Air, Space, and Cyberspace Constructive Environment (ASCCE) is the USAF's authoritative federation of constructive training models and tools realistically representing the tactical and operational capabilities the USAF brings to the joint fight

This is a part-time/on-call position, which will include multiple 2 week assignments/exercises (in either Hawaii, Germany or Republic of Korea)
The Controller/Gamer shall:

+ Monitor the operation of the simulation

+ Take the necessary control steps to maintain efficient Air operations.

+ Assume roles of various external organizations an AOC can be expected to contact providing realistic operational and technical responses to the AOC training audience

+ Contractor shall control and manage the operation of an ASCCE simulation system during execution of exercises to include Air Warfare Simulation (AWSIM), Combat Systems Interface (CSI), Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS), Air Force Synthetic Environment for Reconnaissance and Surveillance (AFSERS), Logistics Simulation (LOGSIM), Air and Space Collaborative Environment-Information Operations Suite (ACE-IOS).

+ Manage Exercise Command and Control Systems to facilitate Air Operations throughout the exercise including Theater Battle Management Core System (TBMCS), Joint Automated Deep Operations Coordination System ( _JADOCS_ ), Master Air Attack Plan Tool Kit (MAAPTK), C2Core, Networked Interoperable Real-Time Information Services (NIRIS), Integrated Command & Control (ICC) System, Tactical Data Analysis and Connectivity System (TDACS), Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI), Joint Range Extension (JRE), Etc.

**Qualifications**

+ 6 years military experience in AOC operations, information technology, and/or _Air_ , Space, and Cyberspace Constructive Environment (ASCCE) suite systems, and Air Force simulations

+ Bachelors and nine (9) years or more experience; Masters and seven (7) years or more experience ; PhD or JD and four (4) years or more experience or relevant years of experience in lieu of degree

+ Candidate must possess minimally a secret clearance and have the ability to obtain a TS/SCI

Desried Qualitfications:

+ Knowledge of Air Tasking Order (ATO) preparation and execution; AOCdisplay systems for Common Operational Picture (COP) and Common Tactical Picture (CTP); and battle damage assessment processes and systems

+ Knowledge shall include the practical application of Air computer simulation for the support of exercises, the fundamental principles of simulation-driven exercise planning, and experience in the control of a simulation center during an exercise.

Covid Policy: SAIC does not require COVID-19 vaccinations or boosters. Customer site vaccination requirements must be followed when work is performed at a customer site.
REQNUMBER: 2212704

SAIC is a premier technology integrator, solving our nation's most complex modernization and systems engineering challenges across the defense, space, federal civilian, and intelligence markets. Our robust portfolio of offerings includes high-end solutions in systems engineering and integration; enterprise IT, including cloud services; cyber; software; advanced analytics and simulation; and training. We are a team of 23,000 strong driven by mission, united purpose, and inspired by opportunity. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $6.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For information on the benefits SAIC offers, see Working at SAIC. EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability
Post your job
There are various strategies that you can use to find the right air traffic controller for your business:
- Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
- Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
- Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
- Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
Post your job online:
- Post your air traffic controller job on Zippia to find and recruit air traffic controller candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
Recruiting air traffic controllers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.
Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new air traffic controller
Once you've decided on a perfect air traffic controller candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.
It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.
To prepare for the new air traffic controller first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.
Go through the hiring process checklist
- Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
- Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
- Define job responsibilities and requirements
- Establish budget and timeline
- Determine hiring decision makers for the role
- Write job description
- Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
- Promote the job internally
- Process applications through applicant tracking system
- Review resumes and cover letters
- Shortlist candidates for screening
- Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
- Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
- Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
- Conduct background checks on top candidates
- Check references of top candidates
- Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
- Extend offer to top candidate(s)
- Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
- Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
- Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
- Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire an air traffic controller?

Hiring an air traffic controller comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting air traffic controllers involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of air traffic controller recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $49,141 per year for an air traffic controller, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for air traffic controllers in the US typically range between $12 and $43 an hour.

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How to hire an Air Traffic Controller

Updated December 14, 2025

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How to hire an air traffic controller