Best states for a traffic controller

Q: What is the best state for traffic controllers?

The best state to be a traffic controller is Michigan based on traffic controller salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for traffic controllers?

The highest paying state for traffic controllers is Kansas based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for traffic controllers?

The worst state for traffic controllers is Iowa, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for traffic controllers in the United States. Traffic controller positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for traffic controllers.In order to help you decide which state is the best for traffic controllers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for traffic controller jobs.

We figured that the best places for traffic controller jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.Michigan is the best state, and Anchorage is the city with the highest pay for traffic controllers.

10 best states for traffic controllers in 2025

1. Michigan
Total traffic controller jobs: 180
Average annual salary: $44,479
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Traffic controller jobs in Michigan
2. Alaska
Total traffic controller jobs: 19
Average annual salary: $47,634
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Traffic controller jobs in Alaska
3. Delaware
Total traffic controller jobs: 37
Average annual salary: $43,783
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
1.5
Traffic controller jobs in Delaware
4. New Hampshire
Total traffic controller jobs: 43
Average annual salary: $43,158
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Location Quotient:
1.25
Traffic controller jobs in New Hampshire
5. Connecticut
Total traffic controller jobs: 77
Average annual salary: $45,117
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Traffic controller jobs in Connecticut
6. Pennsylvania
Total traffic controller jobs: 221
Average annual salary: $44,019
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
Traffic controller jobs in Pennsylvania
7. Wisconsin
Total traffic controller jobs: 118
Average annual salary: $42,268
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Location Quotient:
1.08
Traffic controller jobs in Wisconsin
8. Minnesota
Total traffic controller jobs: 162
Average annual salary: $41,207
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
1.24
Traffic controller jobs in Minnesota
9. Rhode Island
Total traffic controller jobs: 18
Average annual salary: $44,556
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Location Quotient:
0.75
Traffic controller jobs in Rhode Island
10. Massachusetts
Total traffic controller jobs: 176
Average annual salary: $43,965
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Traffic controller jobs in Massachusetts

Traffic controller jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a traffic controller

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a traffic controller

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Michigan	$44,479	$30,000	9,962,311	180
2	Alaska	$47,634	$29,000	739,795	19
3	Delaware	$43,783	$28,000	961,939	37
4	New Hampshire	$43,158	$28,000	1,342,795	43
5	Connecticut	$45,117	$28,000	3,588,184	77
6	Pennsylvania	$44,019	$28,000	12,805,537	221
7	Wisconsin	$42,268	$30,000	5,795,483	118
8	Minnesota	$41,207	$30,000	5,576,606	162
9	Rhode Island	$44,556	$28,000	1,059,639	18
10	Massachusetts	$43,965	$28,000	6,859,819	176
11	Maine	$43,151	$30,000	1,335,907	18
12	Indiana	$40,203	$28,000	6,666,818	119
13	Vermont	$42,446	$29,000	623,657	13
14	Virginia	$40,822	$26,000	8,470,020	214
15	Ohio	$38,679	$26,000	11,658,609	198
16	Nebraska	$41,340	$29,000	1,920,076	30
17	Maryland	$42,615	$27,000	6,052,177	125
18	District of Columbia	$42,172	$27,000	693,972	37
19	North Dakota	$39,347	$29,000	755,393	16
20	Nevada	$37,702	$23,000	2,998,039	61
21	South Dakota	$39,315	$28,000	869,666	15
22	New Mexico	$38,532	$25,000	2,088,070	40
23	New York	$40,143	$25,000	19,849,399	286
24	Arizona	$39,367	$25,000	7,016,270	108
25	Missouri	$40,014	$28,000	6,113,532	70
26	Wyoming	$36,031	$24,000	579,315	15
27	Mississippi	$37,510	$26,000	2,984,100	36
28	Tennessee	$37,768	$26,000	6,715,984	82
29	California	$37,868	$23,000	39,536,653	680
30	Oregon	$35,726	$22,000	4,142,776	104
31	Arkansas	$36,997	$26,000	3,004,279	38
32	North Carolina	$36,712	$25,000	10,273,419	179
33	West Virginia	$38,005	$25,000	1,815,857	10
34	Colorado	$35,785	$24,000	5,607,154	157
35	Georgia	$36,819	$26,000	10,429,379	185
36	Montana	$38,251	$26,000	1,050,493	15
37	Kentucky	$35,885	$25,000	4,454,189	56
38	Florida	$34,960	$24,000	20,984,400	349
39	Utah	$31,715	$21,000	3,101,833	76
40	South Carolina	$33,651	$23,000	5,024,369	91
41	Hawaii	$33,445	$25,000	1,427,538	16
42	Alabama	$34,292	$24,000	4,874,747	57
43	Idaho	$35,380	$23,000	1,716,943	21
44	Louisiana	$34,934	$24,000	4,684,333	41
45	Oklahoma	$34,411	$24,000	3,930,864	31
46	Texas	$32,329	$21,000	28,304,596	369
47	Illinois	$26,275	$18,000	12,802,023	250
48	Washington	$31,278	$20,000	7,405,743	123
49	New Jersey	$29,833	$19,000	9,005,644	141
50	Kansas	$23,684	$16,000	2,913,123	56
51	Iowa	$25,781	$18,000	3,145,711	51

Highest paying states for traffic controllers

Rank	State	Avg. Traffic Controller Salary
1	Michigan	$44,479
2	Alaska	$47,634
3	Delaware	$43,783
4	New Hampshire	$43,158
5	Connecticut	$45,117
6	Pennsylvania	$44,019
7	Wisconsin	$42,268
8	Minnesota	$41,207
9	Rhode Island	$44,556
10	Massachusetts	$43,965
11	Maine	$43,151
12	Indiana	$40,203
13	Vermont	$42,446
14	Virginia	$40,822
15	Ohio	$38,679
16	Nebraska	$41,340
17	Maryland	$42,615
18	District of Columbia	$42,172
19	North Dakota	$39,347
20	Nevada	$37,702
21	South Dakota	$39,315
22	New Mexico	$38,532
23	New York	$40,143
24	Arizona	$39,367
25	Missouri	$40,014
26	Wyoming	$36,031
27	Mississippi	$37,510
28	Tennessee	$37,768
29	California	$37,868
30	Oregon	$35,726
31	Arkansas	$36,997
32	North Carolina	$36,712
33	West Virginia	$38,005
34	Colorado	$35,785
35	Georgia	$36,819
36	Montana	$38,251
37	Kentucky	$35,885
38	Florida	$34,960
39	Utah	$31,715
40	South Carolina	$33,651
41	Hawaii	$33,445
42	Alabama	$34,292
43	Idaho	$35,380
44	Louisiana	$34,934
45	Oklahoma	$34,411
46	Texas	$32,329
47	Illinois	$26,275
48	Washington	$31,278
49	New Jersey	$29,833
50	Kansas	$23,684
51	Iowa	$25,781

Traffic controller best states FAQs

What is the best state for traffic controllers?

What is the highest paying state for traffic controllers?

What is the worst state for traffic controllers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common transportation questions.

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Best states for Traffic Controllers

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total traffic controller jobs:	180
Average annual salary:	$44,479
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$30,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$64,000
Location Quotient:	1.18

Best states for a traffic controller

10 best states for traffic controllers in 2025

1. Michigan

2. Alaska

3. Delaware

4. New Hampshire

5. Connecticut

6. Pennsylvania

7. Wisconsin

8. Minnesota

9. Rhode Island

10. Massachusetts