Traffic chief vs air traffic controller

The differences between traffic chiefs and air traffic controllers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a traffic chief has an average salary of $57,192, which is higher than the $49,141 average annual salary of an air traffic controller.

The top three skills for a traffic chief include facility equipment, air traffic control and federal aviation administration. The most important skills for an air traffic controller are federal aviation administration, air traffic control, and NAS.

Traffic chief vs air traffic controller overview

	Traffic Chief	Air Traffic Controller
Yearly salary	$57,192	$49,141
Hourly rate	$27.50	$23.63
Growth rate	6%	1%
Number of jobs	14,440	17,944
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	47	38
Years of experience	-	-

Traffic chief vs air traffic controller salary

Traffic chiefs and air traffic controllers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Traffic Chief	Air Traffic Controller
Average salary	$57,192	$49,141
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $105,000	Between $26,000 And $90,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	SAIC
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between traffic chief and air traffic controller education

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

	Traffic Chief	Air Traffic Controller
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Aerospace Engineering	Aviation
Most common college	University of Southern California	SUNY Farmingdale

Traffic chief vs air traffic controller demographics

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

	Traffic Chief	Air Traffic Controller
Average age	47	38
Gender ratio	Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4%	Male, 78.1% Female, 21.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	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%
LGBT Percentage	10%	7%

Differences between traffic chief and air traffic controller duties and responsibilities

Traffic chief example responsibilities.

Manage all inbound material which include part shortages, EC changes, QC inspection parts and sequence material.
Formulate solution-focused reporting to minimize training obstacles, while establishing relationships with FAA, DoD, DA and local regulations.
Direct inbound or outbound logistics operations, such as transportation or warehouse activities, safety performance, or logistics quality management.
Provide leadership and training to incoming airmen and volunteer for many USAF organizations.

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.

Traffic chief vs air traffic controller skills

Common traffic chief skills

Facility Equipment, 33%
Air Traffic Control, 29%
Federal Aviation Administration, 24%
Airfield Operations, 13%

Common air traffic controller skills

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

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Traffic Chief vs Air Traffic Controller

Updated January 8, 2025

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