Traffic control operator demographics and statistics in the US
On this page
Traffic control operator demographics by:
Traffic control operator gender statistics
18.8% of traffic control operators are women and 81.2% of traffic control operators are men.
- Male, 81.2%
- Female, 18.8%
Traffic control operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 81.2% |
| Female | 18.8% |
Traffic control operator gender pay gap
Women earn $1.06 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$40,142
Female income
$42,657
Traffic control operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in traffic control operator positions over time. Currently, 18.8% of traffic control operators are female.
Traffic control operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.05% | 19.95% |
| 2011 | 81.41% | 18.59% |
| 2012 | 77.43% | 22.57% |
| 2013 | 83.49% | 16.51% |
| 2014 | 74.87% | 25.13% |
| 2015 | 78.57% | 21.43% |
| 2016 | 77.75% | 22.25% |
| 2017 | 83.11% | 16.89% |
| 2018 | 80.16% | 19.84% |
| 2019 | 83.07% | 16.93% |
| 2020 | 77.67% | 22.33% |
| 2021 | 81.22% | 18.78% |
Traffic control operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared traffic control operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, airline transport pilot and combat control have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Airline Flight Attendant | 16% | 84% |
| International Flight Attendant | 21% | 79% |
| Flight Attendant | 21% | 79% |
| Traffic Control Operator | 81% | 19% |
| Agricultural Aviation Pilot | 98% | 2% |
| Combat Control | 98% | 2% |
| Airline Transport Pilot | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Traffic control operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among traffic control operators is White, which makes up 59.9% of all traffic control operators. Comparatively, 17.4% of traffic control operators are Hispanic or Latino and 9.8% of traffic control operators are Black or African American.
- White, 59.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.4%
- Black or African American, 9.8%
- Unknown, 7.1%
- Asian, 5.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Traffic control operator race
| Traffic control operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.4% |
| Black or African American | 9.8% |
| Unknown | 7.1% |
| Asian | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Traffic control operator race and ethnicity over time
See how traffic control operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Traffic control operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.68% | 12.54% | 2.49% | 11.09% |
| 2011 | 69.76% | 13.47% | 2.34% | 11.11% |
| 2012 | 69.32% | 10.18% | 2.99% | 12.65% |
| 2013 | 66.83% | 15.11% | 3.75% | 10.43% |
| 2014 | 69.16% | 12.12% | 2.91% | 11.31% |
| 2015 | 66.61% | 11.27% | 5.47% | 14.50% |
| 2016 | 70.11% | 12.66% | 1.95% | 11.15% |
| 2017 | 73.24% | 9.62% | 3.02% | 10.92% |
| 2018 | 67.05% | 13.10% | 3.82% | 13.58% |
| 2019 | 70.01% | 9.31% | 2.32% | 14.42% |
| 2020 | 67.14% | 11.45% | 3.19% | 14.74% |
| 2021 | 59.87% | 9.76% | 5.24% | 17.45% |
Traffic control operator wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown traffic control operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino traffic control operators have the lowest average salary at $37,026.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $43,725 |
| White | $42,268 |
| Black or African American | $39,100 |
| Asian | $38,953 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $37,026 |
Average traffic control operator age
See how the average age of traffic control operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Traffic control operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 39 | |
| White | 37 | 40 |
| Black or African American | 41 | |
| Asian | 38 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 32.5 |
Traffic control operator age breakdown
The average age of traffic control operators is 40+ years years old, representing 44% of the traffic control operator population.
Traffic control operator age breakdown
| Traffic Control Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 44% |
| 30-40 years | 33% |
| 20-30 years | 21% |
Traffic control operator educational attainment
The most common degree for traffic control operators is high school diploma, with 31% of traffic control operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 30% and bachelor's degree degree at 19%.
- High School Diploma, 31%
- Bachelor's, 30%
- Associate, 19%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 16%
Traffic control operators by degree level
| Traffic control operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 31% |
| Bachelor's | 30% |
| Associate | 19% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 16% |
Traffic control operator jobs you might like
Traffic control operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, traffic control operators with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $44,944 annually. With a Associate degree, traffic control operators earn a median annual income of $43,047 compared to $35,978 for traffic control operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,978 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $44,944 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $43,047 |
Traffic control operator employment statistics
Most traffic control operators work for a private in the construction industry.
Company size where traffic control operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where traffic control operators work.
Traffic control operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 35% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 20% |
Traffic control operator jobs by company type
Employees with the traffic control operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most traffic control operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Traffic control operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 17% |
| Private | 67% |
| Government | 10% |
Traffic control operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for traffic control operators are construction, professional and government.
Traffic control operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Construction | 23% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Government | 10% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Transportation | 8% |
| Media | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Education | 5% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
Traffic control operator turnover and employment statistics
Traffic control operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for traffic control operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Traffic control operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Traffic control operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.13% |
| 2011 | 5.60% |
| 2012 | 3.41% |
| 2013 | 2.89% |
| 2014 | 0.51% |
| 2015 | 2.03% |
| 2016 | 2.34% |
| 2017 | 1.44% |
| 2018 | 3.12% |
| 2019 | 1.43% |
| 2020 | 2.54% |
| 2021 | 3.74% |
Average traffic control operator tenure
The average traffic control operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 202 traffic control operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Traffic control operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 19% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Traffic control operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of traffic control operators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Valet Attendant | 3.71% | 45,768 |
| Aircraft Cleaner | 4.91% | 39,138 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Traffic Control Operator | 7.23% | - |
| Flight Commander | 11.74% | 1,581 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Ramp Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 47,049 |
Similar traffic control operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Valet Attendant | 3.71% | 45,768 |
| Aircraft Cleaner | 4.91% | 39,138 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Flight Commander | 11.74% | 1,581 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Ramp Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 47,049 |
Foreign languages spoken by traffic control operators
- Spanish, 75.0%
- German, 25.0%
Traffic control operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 75.0% |
| German | 25.0% |