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Traffic controller salary
Average traffic controller salary
$39,099
Average Traffic Controller Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Traffic Controller is estimated at $39,099 annually. This figure represents a wage of around $19 per hour. Compensation can vary significantly depending on various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which you work.
Where Can Traffic Controllers Earn More?
States such as California, New York, and Texas tend to offer higher salaries for Traffic Controllers due to the demand for skilled professionals in urban areas. For example, positions in metropolitan regions often command higher pay, reflecting the cost of living and heightened responsibilities.
Industry Insights
Traffic Controllers are essential in sectors like transportation, construction, and emergency services. Industries with heightened activity, such as construction, may offer competitive salaries due to the need for effective traffic management during projects. Understanding these factors can guide your career decisions and salary negotiations.
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Where can a Traffic Controller earn more?
Traffic controller salary estimates from across the web
Average traffic controller salary by state
The highest-paying states for traffic controllers are Alaska, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The lowest average traffic controller salary states are Utah, Washington, and New Jersey.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for traffic controllers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $44,479 | $21.38 |
| 2 | Alaska | $47,634 | $22.90 |
| 3 | Delaware | $43,783 | $21.05 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $43,158 | $20.75 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $45,117 | $21.69 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $44,019 | $21.16 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $42,268 | $20.32 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $41,207 | $19.81 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $44,556 | $21.42 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $43,965 | $21.14 |
| 11 | Maine | $43,151 | $20.75 |
| 12 | Indiana | $40,203 | $19.33 |
| 13 | Vermont | $42,446 | $20.41 |
| 14 | Virginia | $40,822 | $19.63 |
| 15 | Ohio | $38,679 | $18.60 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $41,340 | $19.88 |
| 17 | Maryland | $42,615 | $20.49 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $42,172 | $20.27 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $39,347 | $18.92 |
| 20 | Nevada | $37,702 | $18.13 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $39,315 | $18.90 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $38,532 | $18.52 |
| 23 | New York | $40,143 | $19.30 |
| 24 | Arizona | $39,367 | $18.93 |
| 25 | Missouri | $40,014 | $19.24 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $36,031 | $17.32 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $37,510 | $18.03 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $37,768 | $18.16 |
| 29 | California | $37,868 | $18.21 |
| 30 | Oregon | $35,726 | $17.18 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $36,997 | $17.79 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $36,712 | $17.65 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $38,005 | $18.27 |
| 34 | Colorado | $35,785 | $17.20 |
| 35 | Georgia | $36,819 | $17.70 |
| 36 | Montana | $38,251 | $18.39 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $35,885 | $17.25 |
| 38 | Florida | $34,960 | $16.81 |
| 39 | Utah | $31,715 | $15.25 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $33,651 | $16.18 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $33,445 | $16.08 |
| 42 | Alabama | $34,292 | $16.49 |
| 43 | Idaho | $35,380 | $17.01 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $34,934 | $16.80 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $34,411 | $16.54 |
| 46 | Texas | $32,329 | $15.54 |
| 47 | Illinois | $26,275 | $12.63 |
| 48 | Washington | $31,278 | $15.04 |
| 49 | New Jersey | $29,833 | $14.34 |
| 50 | Kansas | $23,684 | $11.39 |
| 51 | Iowa | $25,781 | $12.39 |
Highest paying cities for traffic controllers
The highest-paying cities for traffic controllers are Hartford, CT, Lansing, MI, and Eau Claire, WI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hartford, CT | $44,882 | $21.58 |
| 2 | Lansing, MI | $44,370 | $21.33 |
| 3 | Eau Claire, WI | $42,839 | $20.60 |
| 4 | Crofton, MD | $42,598 | $20.48 |
| 5 | Arlington, VA | $42,270 | $20.32 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $39,977 | $19.22 |
| 7 | Grandview, MO | $39,792 | $19.13 |
| 8 | Greenwood, IN | $39,780 | $19.13 |
| 9 | Hobbs, NM | $39,680 | $19.08 |
| 10 | Morgantown, WV | $39,322 | $18.90 |
| 11 | Los Angeles, CA | $38,333 | $18.43 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $36,889 | $17.74 |
| 13 | Charlotte, NC | $35,971 | $17.29 |
| 14 | Denver, CO | $35,919 | $17.27 |
| 15 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $35,171 | $16.91 |
| 16 | Laredo, TX | $33,413 | $16.06 |
| 17 | Bellingham, WA | $32,078 | $15.42 |
| 18 | Atlantic City, NJ | $29,474 | $14.17 |
| 19 | Kansas City, KS | $24,144 | $11.61 |
Traffic controller salary details
A traffic controller's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $63,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a traffic controller's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $39,099 | $3,258 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying traffic controller jobs
The highest paying types of traffic controllers are certified professional controller, air route controller, and air traffic supervisor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flagger | $29,484 | $2,457 | $14.18 | 6,597 |
| Air Traffic Controller | $49,141 | $4,095 | $23.63 | 17,944 |
Top companies hiring traffic controllers now:
Which companies pay traffic controllers the most?
Traffic controller salaries at Siemens and Novant Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average traffic controller salary at companies like Centene and Elizabeth River Project are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Siemens | $62,057 | $29.84 |
| 2 | Novant Health | $48,013 | $23.08 |
| 3 | Centene | $43,916 | $21.11 |
| 4 | Elizabeth River Project | $38,764 | $18.64 |
| 5 | All American Financial Corp | $38,749 | $18.63 |
| 6 | HealthPark LLC | $38,749 | $18.63 |
| 7 | Create Music Group | $38,749 | $18.63 |
| 8 | Global Resource Solutions Inc | $38,721 | $18.62 |
| 9 | LAZ Parking | $38,083 | $18.31 |
| 10 | Oldcastle Infrastructure | $37,423 | $17.99 |
| 11 | IES | $37,247 | $17.91 |
| 12 | Ethan Allen Workforce Solutions | $36,398 | $17.50 |
| 13 | Mohegan Sun | $34,819 | $16.74 |
| 14 | Allied Universal | $33,552 | $16.13 |
| 15 | City of Santa Clara | $33,252 | $15.99 |
| 16 | Hard Rock Hotels | $33,058 | $15.89 |
| 17 | The Employment Solutions | $33,047 | $15.89 |
| 18 | Kelly Services | $33,004 | $15.87 |
| 19 | Heritage Holdings | $32,806 | $15.77 |
| 20 | LaborMAX Staffing | $32,231 | $15.50 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Traffic Controller salary by industry
The average traffic controller salary varies across industries:
- The average traffic controller salary in the non profits industry is $58,262, the highest of any industry.
- The average traffic controller salary in the finance industry is $42,650.
- Traffic controllers in the government industry earn an average salary of $33,352, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for traffic controllers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non Profits | $58,262 | $28.01 |
| 2 | Transportation | $42,650 | $20.50 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $38,898 | $18.70 |
| 4 | Construction | $37,780 | $18.16 |
| 5 | Professional | $36,589 | $17.59 |
| 6 | Media | $35,987 | $17.30 |
| 7 | Government | $33,352 | $16.03 |
High paying traffic controller jobs
Traffic controller salary trends
The average traffic controller salary has risen by $5,060 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average traffic controller earned $34,039 annually, but today, they earn $39,099 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for traffic controllers over the last decade.
Compare traffic controller salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average traffic controller salary over time
Compare traffic controller salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Traffic controller salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,100 | $18.80 | +5.7% |
| 2024 | $36,900 | $17.73 | -1.3% |
| 2023 | $37,300 | $17.95 | 0.0% |
| 2022 | $37,300 | $17.95 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $36,700 | $17.64 | -0.4% |
Recently added traffic controller salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWP Safety | Traffic Control Flaggr | Estero, FL | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Grand Pacific Resorts | Security/Traffic Control (Seasonal) | Carlsbad, CA | 06/28/2025 | $38,610 |
| Towne Park | Hospital Traffic Controller-Mayo Clinic, Rochester. Weekdays P/H | Rochester, MN | 06/25/2025 | $42,784 |
| Siemens Corporation | Rail Traffic Controller/Dispatcher | Rutland, VT | 06/25/2025 | $35,688 |
| Traffic Management | Traffic Controller | Garner, NC | 06/23/2025 | $33,392 |
| Traffic Management | Traffic Controller | Denver, CO | 06/23/2025 | $40,425 |
| Asmglobal | Traffic Controller | San Francisco, CA | 06/20/2025 | $47,918 |
| Traffic Management | Traffic Controller | Stockton, CA | 06/17/2025 | $34,436 |
| Traffic Management | Traffic Controller | Caldwell, ID | 06/11/2025 | $38,610 |
| Traffic Management | Traffic Controller | Sherwood, OR | 06/11/2025 | $44,015 |
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