Air Traffic Controllers
Also called: ATCS (Air Traffic Control Specialist), Certified Professional Controller (CPC), Terminal Radar Approach Controller, Tower ATC (Tower Air Traffic Controller)Control air traffic on and within vicinity of airport, and movement of air traffic between altitude sectors and control centers, according to established procedures and policies. Authorize, regulate, and control commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 14 of its 22 rated tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 1.7% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.8% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Air traffic controllers and airfield operations specialists”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in government, which employs about 95% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $114,960 | $100,310 to $138,050 | 240 |
| Alaska | $123,950 | $94,760 to $168,830 | 490 |
| Arizona | $136,800 | $112,030 to $170,870 | 380 |
| Arkansas | $109,760 | $99,800 to $127,920 | 80 |
| California | $160,080 | $115,810 to $207,670 | 2,290 |
| Colorado | $177,380 | $108,990 to $204,150 | 740 |
| Connecticut | $140,940 | $119,430 to $172,640 | not published |
| District of Columbia | $47,760 | $47,760 to $174,860 | 820 |
| Florida | $147,530 | $107,990 to $178,420 | 1,950 |
| Georgia | $178,420 | $126,570 to $198,120 | 970 |
| Guam | $82,830 | $54,500 to $126,300 | 40 |
| Hawaii | $158,700 | $115,290 to $186,280 | 210 |
| Illinois | $181,560 | $117,500 to $209,440 | 990 |
| Indiana | $158,810 | $106,100 to $180,290 | 630 |
| Iowa | $90,790 | $76,980 to $105,610 | 120 |
| Kansas | $159,700 | $119,370 to $181,330 | 430 |
| Kentucky | $127,800 | $97,840 to $151,240 | 230 |
| Louisiana | $99,810 | $87,150 to $123,660 | 230 |
| Maine | $107,270 | $54,500 to $122,350 | 70 |
| Maryland | $131,290 | $118,350 to $164,920 | 70 |
| Massachusetts | $125,060 | $89,890 to $171,010 | 120 |
| Michigan | $118,930 | $99,610 to $178,590 | 360 |
| Minnesota | $176,840 | $120,940 to $200,510 | 680 |
| Mississippi | $88,110 | $79,700 to $113,300 | 160 |
| Missouri | $122,200 | $105,440 to $145,140 | 260 |
| Montana | $101,380 | $83,030 to $108,680 | 60 |
| Nebraska | $111,710 | $94,910 to $127,630 | 70 |
| Nevada | $140,920 | $112,110 to $182,250 | 210 |
| New Jersey | $132,230 | $102,730 to $179,400 | 190 |
| New Mexico | $148,550 | $120,120 to $170,660 | 350 |
| New York | $144,960 | $106,200 to $216,570 | 1,150 |
| North Carolina | $129,230 | $104,640 to $169,520 | 410 |
| North Dakota | $107,990 | $81,720 to $133,660 | 100 |
| Oklahoma | $123,220 | $98,680 to $150,260 | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $132,350 | $100,210 to $190,360 | 460 |
| Puerto Rico | $125,780 | $99,800 to $147,120 | 110 |
| Rhode Island | $126,300 | $100,440 to $150,180 | 50 |
| South Carolina | $112,030 | $92,980 to $132,600 | 190 |
| Tennessee | $157,330 | $120,000 to $178,630 | 590 |
| Texas | $170,080 | $107,990 to $202,590 | 2,060 |
| Utah | $158,310 | $140,130 to $169,520 | 360 |
| Vermont | $109,140 | $101,840 to $114,480 | 30 |
| Virginia | $191,820 | $140,480 to $214,360 | 1,120 |
| Washington | $162,570 | $112,150 to $191,030 | 620 |
| Wyoming | $93,580 | $82,310 to $114,940 | 40 |
Nationally: $148,080. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 14 of its 22 rated tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Inform pilots about nearby planes or potentially hazardous conditions, such as weather, speed and direction of wind, or visibility problems. | Not published |
| AI + software | Monitor aircraft within a specific airspace, using radar, computer equipment, or visual references. | Not published |
| Not rated | Monitor, direct, or sequence the movement of aircraft within an assigned air space or on the ground at airports to minimize delays and maximize safety. | Not published |
| AI + software | Alert airport emergency services in cases of emergency or when aircraft are experiencing difficulties. | Not published |
| AI + software | Maintain radio or telephone contact with adjacent control towers, terminal control units, or other area control centers to coordinate aircraft movement. | Not published |
| Not much | Direct pilots to runways when space is available or direct them to maintain a traffic pattern until there is space for them to land. | Not published |
See all 23 tasks
| Not much | Provide flight path changes or directions to emergency landing fields for pilots traveling in bad weather or in emergency situations. | Not published |
| AI + software | Contact pilots by radio to provide meteorological, navigational, or other information. | Not published |
| Not much | Determine the timing or procedures for flight vector changes. | Not published |
| Not much | Provide on-the-job training to new air traffic controllers. | Not published |
| AI + software | Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights. | Not published |
| AI + software | Organize flight plans or traffic management plans to prepare for planes about to enter assigned airspace. | Not published |
| Not much | Initiate or coordinate searches for missing aircraft. | Not published |
| AI + software | Check conditions and traffic at different altitudes in response to pilots' requests for altitude changes. | Not published |
| AI + software | Compile information about flights from flight plans, pilot reports, radar, or observations. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions. O*NET flags this task's ratings as uncertain | Not published |
| AI + software | Relay air traffic information, such as courses, altitudes, or expected arrival times, to control centers. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect, adjust, or control radio equipment or airport lights. | Not published |
| Not much | Conduct pre-flight briefings on weather conditions, suggested routes, altitudes, indications of turbulence, or other flight safety information. | Not published |
| AI + software | Analyze factors such as weather reports, fuel requirements, or maps to determine air routes. | Not published |
| AI + software | Complete daily activity reports and keep records of messages from aircraft. | Not published |
| Not much | Direct ground traffic, including taxiing aircraft, maintenance or baggage vehicles, or airport workers. | Not published |
| AI + software | Review records or reports for clarity and completeness and maintain records or reports, as required under federal law. | 0.01% |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 2 of the 23 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 23 tasks fall under 15 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #33 Compile records, documentation, or other data
- #37 Determine operational methods or procedures
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Direct vehicle traffic | |||
| Plan work activities | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Notify others of emergencies or problems | |||
| Compile records, documentation, or other data | |||
| Determine operational methods or procedures |
Show all 15 activities
| Examine materials or documentation for accuracy or compliance | |||
| Operate communications equipment or systems | |||
| Manage control systems or activities | |||
| Train others on operational or work procedures | |||
| Monitor safety or security of work areas, facilities, or properties | |||
| Intervene in crisis situations or emergencies | |||
| Direct security or safety activities or operations |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report34%
- An analysis or summary22%
- Data or a spreadsheet10%
- An explanation or answer3%
- Advice or a recommendation2%
How they worked with Claude
71% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for air traffic controllers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 10,519 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 11%
- 2 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 3%
- 3 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
- 4 Financial Managers Very high +9.7% 3%
- 5 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers High -3.7% 2%
Where people moved in from
of 9,717 moves in
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 9%
- 2 Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks High -7.6% 4%
- 3 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 2%
- 4 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 2%
- 5 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers High -3.7% 2%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 1% less than high school
- 36% high school
- 21% postsecondary certificate
- 6% some college
- 14% associate's
- 20% bachelor's
- 2% post-bachelor's certificate
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 50 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 16% high school
- 25% some college
- 16% associate's
- 36% bachelor's
- 6% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Air traffic controllers and airfield operations specialists” · 367 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Air traffic controllers and airfield operations specialists”
1 program: Air Traffic Controller.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (Air Traffic Controller). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Air Traffic Controllers” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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