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Where an ATC Salary Goes Furthest

Every FAA facility's controller pay, after state tax, adjusted for what things cost there

Locality pay follows labor markets, not living costs, and state income tax takes nothing at 77 facilities and up to 8.4% of pay at others. Taking each facility's pay after state tax and dividing it by its area's price index shows what the paycheck buys. Across 313 facilities, adjusted CPC entry pay runs from $44,617 at ACK to $180,010 at I90.

Every Facility, Ranked

Adjusted pay = (2026 CPC entry pay − state and local income tax) ÷ (price index ÷ 100). An index of 100 is the national average. Click a heading to sort.

# Facility Level Entry Pay State Tax Price Index Adjusted Pay Rank
1 I90 Houston TRACON 12 $177,544 0.0% 98.6 $180,010 16
2 IAH Houston Intercontinental Tower 11 $169,083 0.0% 98.6 $171,432 21
3 ZHU Houston ARTCC 11 $169,083 0.0% 98.6 $171,432 22
4 ORD Chicago O'Hare Tower 12 $185,250 4.9% 103.6 $170,102 8
5 C90 Chicago TRACON 12 $182,620 4.9% 103.6 $167,688 10
6 ZME Memphis ARTCC 12 $153,950 0.0% 92.2 $167,010 48
7 ZAU Chicago ARTCC 12 $178,806 4.9% 103.6 $164,189 15
8 N90 New York TRACON 12 $194,574 5.4% 112.6 $163,588 2
9 ZNY New York ARTCC 12 $194,574 5.4% 112.6 $163,588 3
10 ZOB Cleveland ARTCC 12 $160,749 4.8% 93.9 $163,003 38
11 D10 Dallas-Fort Worth TRACON 12 $167,364 0.0% 103.1 $162,347 24
12 DFW Dallas-Fort Worth Tower 12 $167,364 0.0% 103.1 $162,347 25
13 ZFW Fort Worth ARTCC 12 $167,364 0.0% 103.1 $162,347 26
14 D01 Denver TRACON 12 $175,860 4.0% 105.8 $159,606 17
15 DEN Denver Tower 12 $175,860 4.0% 105.8 $159,606 18
16 PCT Potomac TRACON 12 $182,199 5.3% 108.9 $158,465 11
17 ZDC Washington ARTCC 12 $182,199 5.3% 108.9 $158,465 12
18 PHL Philadelphia Tower 12 $173,717 6.5% 102.6 $158,395 20
19 ZOA Oakland ARTCC 11 $195,811 7.1% 115.6 $157,279 1
20 A90 Boston TRACON 11 $166,052 0.0% 105.7 $157,157 28
21 ZBW Boston ARTCC 11 $166,052 0.0% 105.7 $157,157 29
22 JFK Kennedy Tower 11 $185,303 5.3% 112.6 $155,837 6
23 LGA La Guardia Tower 11 $185,303 5.3% 112.6 $155,837 7
24 CLT Charlotte Tower 12 $157,382 3.7% 97.4 $155,738 43
25 A80 Atlanta TRACON 12 $162,801 4.6% 100.1 $155,183 35
26 ATL Atlanta Tower 12 $162,801 4.6% 100.1 $155,183 36
27 ZTL Atlanta ARTCC 12 $162,801 4.6% 100.1 $155,183 37
28 EWR Newark Tower 11 $183,299 5.2% 112.6 $154,418 9
29 ZID Indianapolis ARTCC 12 $155,383 4.9% 95.7 $154,347 46
30 SCT Southern California TRACON 12 $185,592 7.0% 111.9 $154,224 5
31 ZKC Kansas City ARTCC 11 $149,006 5.0% 92.5 $152,897 55
32 NCT Northern California TRACON 12 $174,860 6.9% 106.7 $152,646 19
33 ZAN Anchorage ARTCC 10 $159,288 0.0% 105.4 $151,099 41
34 D21 Detroit TRACON 10 $156,515 4.1% 100.3 $149,665 45
35 SFO San Francisco Tower 10 $186,053 7.0% 115.6 $149,623 4
36 L30 Las Vegas TRACON 11 $149,758 0.0% 100.2 $149,429 53
37 LAS Las Vegas Tower 11 $149,758 0.0% 100.2 $149,429 54
38 S46 Seattle TRACON 10 $164,905 0.0% 111.1 $148,390 30
39 SEA Seattle Tower 10 $164,905 0.0% 111.1 $148,390 31
40 LAX Los Angeles Tower 11 $181,070 7.0% 113.6 $148,331 13
41 ZJX Jacksonville ARTCC 11 $146,614 0.0% 99.5 $147,380 58
42 ZLA Los Angeles ARTCC 12 $179,477 6.9% 113.6 $147,059 14
43 BOS Boston Tower 10 $166,702 4.9% 108.3 $146,474 27
44 P50 Phoenix TRACON 11 $153,365 2.2% 103.3 $145,116 49
45 BNA Nashville Tower 10 $139,307 0.0% 96.3 $144,599 63
46 F11 Central Florida TRACON 11 $146,614 0.0% 101.4 $144,561 57
47 ZSE Seattle ARTCC 10 $160,264 0.0% 111.1 $144,213 39
48 MIA Miami Tower 12 $163,958 0.0% 114.2 $143,621 33
49 IAD Dulles Tower 10 $164,869 5.3% 108.9 $143,464 32
50 ZMP Minneapolis ARTCC 11 $159,840 6.1% 104.8 $143,222 40
51 ZDV Denver ARTCC 10 $155,325 3.9% 105.2 $141,824 47
52 ZAB Albuquerque ARTCC 10 $140,818 4.0% 95.6 $141,548 62
53 M98 Minneapolis TRACON 10 $156,872 6.0% 104.8 $140,613 44
54 DAB Daytona Beach Tower 10 $139,307 0.0% 99.4 $140,190 64
55 MYF Montgomery Tower 10 $167,701 6.8% 111.9 $139,722 23
56 ZMA Miami ARTCC 11 $158,399 0.0% 114.2 $138,752 42
57 GFK Grand Forks Tower 9 $121,134 0.9% 86.7 $138,508 102
58 TPA Tampa Tower 10 $139,307 0.0% 100.9 $138,078 67
59 PHX Phoenix Tower 10 $145,721 2.2% 103.3 $137,902 60
60 HCF Honolulu Control Facility 11 $163,885 6.7% 111.0 $137,762 34
61 S56 Salt Lake City TRACON 10 $139,307 4.5% 100.9 $131,891 65
62 SLC Salt Lake City Tower 10 $139,307 4.5% 100.9 $131,891 66
63 ZLC Salt Lake City ARTCC 10 $139,307 4.5% 100.9 $131,891 68
64 M03 Memphis TRACON 9 $121,134 0.0% 92.2 $131,410 104
65 A11 Anchorage TRACON 9 $138,508 0.0% 105.4 $131,387 69
66 DTW Detroit Tower 9 $136,098 4.1% 100.3 $130,174 71
67 SAT San Antonio Tower 9 $122,914 0.0% 94.7 $129,766 99
68 TEB Teterboro Tower 9 $153,099 4.9% 112.6 $129,297 50
69 HOU Hobby Tower 8 $126,428 0.0% 98.6 $128,184 87
70 MSY Moisant Tower 9 $121,134 2.7% 92.6 $127,307 106
71 CVG Cincinnati Tower 9 $126,173 3.9% 95.4 $127,098 88
72 AUS Austin Tower 9 $124,538 0.0% 98.1 $126,989 95
73 T75 St. Louis TRACON 9 $124,207 3.9% 95.1 $125,467 96
74 LGB Long Beach Tower 9 $151,567 6.5% 113.6 $124,770 51
75 VNY Van Nuys Tower 9 $151,567 6.5% 113.6 $124,770 52
76 RDU Raleigh-Durham Tower 9 $126,494 3.6% 98.2 $124,242 86
77 P31 Pensacola TRACON 9 $121,134 0.0% 97.7 $123,960 107
78 SDF Standiford Tower 9 $121,134 4.9% 93.1 $123,837 109
79 MSP Minneapolis Tower 9 $136,407 5.8% 104.8 $122,622 70
80 SNA John Wayne Tower 9 $148,256 6.4% 113.6 $122,125 56
81 DCA Washington National Tower 9 $142,016 6.4% 108.9 $122,073 61
82 JAX Jacksonville Tower 9 $121,134 0.0% 99.5 $121,767 103
83 IND Indianapolis Tower 9 $122,262 4.9% 95.7 $121,458 101
84 PRC Prescott Tower 9 $121,134 2.2% 98.3 $120,607 108
85 DVT Deer Valley Tower 9 $126,711 2.2% 103.3 $119,963 84
86 FFZ Falcon Tower 9 $126,711 2.2% 103.3 $119,963 85
87 MDW Midway Tower 8 $130,043 4.8% 103.6 $119,450 76
88 MCO Orlando Tower 9 $121,134 0.0% 101.4 $119,438 105
89 SFB Sanford Tower 9 $121,134 0.0% 101.4 $119,438 110
90 JCF Joshua TRACON 8 $127,804 6.0% 100.9 $119,088 81
91 MEM Memphis Tower 8 $109,627 0.0% 92.2 $118,927 144
92 ANC Anchorage Tower 8 $125,350 0.0% 105.4 $118,906 93
93 CRP Corpus Christi Tower 8 $110,161 0.0% 92.7 $118,875 139
94 VRB Vero Beach Tower 8 $116,754 0.0% 98.3 $118,761 123
95 OAK Oakland Tower 8 $146,413 6.4% 115.6 $118,524 59
96 TYS Knoxville Tower 8 $109,627 0.0% 92.6 $118,426 151
97 Y90 Yankee TRACON 8 $128,001 5.0% 102.8 $118,317 80
98 RVS Riverside Tower 8 $109,627 4.0% 89.2 $117,968 148
99 TUL Tulsa Tower 8 $109,627 4.0% 89.2 $117,968 150
100 ICT Wichita Tower 8 $109,627 4.9% 89.0 $117,268 143
101 FAI Fairbanks Tower 7 $120,219 0.0% 103.2 $116,480 111
102 OKC Oklahoma City Tower 8 $109,627 4.0% 90.4 $116,402 146
103 CLE Cleveland Tower 8 $114,469 4.6% 93.9 $116,314 124
104 R90 Omaha TRACON 8 $110,723 3.8% 91.9 $115,945 137
105 DAL Dallas Love Tower 8 $119,179 0.0% 103.1 $115,607 118
106 MKE Milwaukee Tower 8 $116,801 4.6% 96.9 $114,892 121
107 PIT Pittsburgh Tower 8 $113,345 4.1% 94.7 $114,854 128
108 MCI Kansas City International Tower 8 $111,416 4.9% 92.5 $114,548 132
109 CNO Chino Tower 8 $129,677 6.0% 106.4 $114,474 77
110 CMH Columbus Tower 8 $114,394 4.6% 95.5 $114,351 125
111 P80 Portland TRACON 9 $131,451 8.4% 105.4 $114,232 75
112 BJC Broomfield Tower 8 $125,603 3.8% 105.8 $114,185 89
113 U90 Tucson TRACON 8 $113,017 2.1% 96.9 $114,132 129
114 BHM Birmingham Tower 8 $110,732 5.8% 91.6 $113,873 136
115 APA Centennial Tower 8 $124,948 3.8% 105.8 $113,593 94
116 PBI West Palm Beach Tower 9 $129,009 0.0% 114.2 $113,007 78
117 MYR Myrtle Beach Tower 8 $109,627 3.6% 93.6 $112,840 145
118 SJC San Jose Tower 7 $132,499 6.1% 110.4 $112,666 73
119 BWI Baltimore Tower 8 $127,027 7.3% 104.5 $112,636 82
120 ABE Allentown Tower 7 $116,914 4.1% 100.0 $112,189 120
121 ABQ Albuquerque Tower 8 $110,816 3.7% 95.6 $111,687 135
122 FSM Fort Smith Tower 7 $99,209 3.7% 85.9 $111,250 200
123 PVD Providence Tower 7 $117,109 3.4% 101.8 $111,180 119
124 AZO Kalamazoo Tower 8 $109,627 4.0% 94.8 $110,943 140
125 SAN San Diego Tower 8 $131,785 6.1% 111.9 $110,607 74
126 ROW Roswell Tower 5 $81,249 3.3% 71.2 $110,388 291
127 ELP El Paso Tower 7 $99,209 0.0% 89.9 $110,343 198
128 SAV Savannah Tower 8 $109,627 4.4% 95.2 $110,026 149
129 GEG Spokane Tower 8 $110,198 0.0% 100.4 $109,814 138
130 LBB Lubbock Tower 7 $99,209 0.0% 91.3 $108,639 205
131 CHA Chattanooga Tower 7 $99,209 0.0% 91.5 $108,473 197
132 FAR Fargo Tower 7 $99,209 0.7% 90.9 $108,434 199
133 ORF Norfolk Tower 8 $111,256 5.0% 97.9 $107,896 133
134 SGF Springfield Tower 7 $99,209 3.8% 88.6 $107,781 214
135 LVK Livermore Tower 7 $132,499 6.1% 115.6 $107,609 72
136 ZSU San Juan 9 $126,919 n/a 118.0 $107,558 83
137 COS Colorado Springs Tower 8 $112,521 3.8% 100.7 $107,515 130
138 SBA Santa Barbara Tower 7 $124,134 5.9% 108.8 $107,371 98
139 MOB Mobile Tower 7 $99,209 4.7% 88.1 $107,280 209
140 ACT Waco Tower 7 $99,209 0.0% 92.6 $107,195 193
141 RSW Fort Myers Tower 8 $109,627 0.0% 102.4 $107,110 147
142 LIT Little Rock Tower 7 $99,209 3.7% 89.4 $106,930 207
143 PUB Pueblo Tower 7 $101,828 3.7% 91.8 $106,861 179
144 BOI Boise Tower 8 $109,627 4.3% 98.4 $106,642 141
145 GPT Gulfport Tower 7 $99,209 3.3% 90.0 $106,624 201
146 FRG Farmingdale Tower 7 $125,389 5.1% 112.6 $105,749 90
147 HPN Westchester Tower 7 $125,389 5.1% 112.6 $105,749 91
148 ISP Islip Tower 7 $125,389 5.1% 112.6 $105,749 92
149 HSV Huntsville Tower 7 $103,320 4.7% 93.1 $105,747 173
150 DSM Des Moines Tower 7 $100,014 3.1% 91.7 $105,633 190
151 TLH Tallahassee Tower 7 $99,209 0.0% 93.9 $105,631 216
152 PWM Portland Tower 7 $113,634 5.4% 101.9 $105,539 126
153 FPR St. Lucie Tower 7 $105,659 0.0% 100.2 $105,417 162
154 TMB Tamiami Tower 8 $120,125 0.0% 114.2 $105,225 112
155 ZUA Guam 8 $128,357 0.0% 122.0 $105,211 79
156 GSP Greer Tower 7 $99,209 3.4% 91.1 $105,203 203
157 DWH Houston Hooks Tower 6 $103,543 0.0% 98.6 $104,981 172
158 CHS Charleston Tower 8 $109,627 3.6% 101.0 $104,658 142
159 CMA Camarillo Tower 7 $122,863 5.9% 110.5 $104,647 100
160 FTW Meacham Tower 7 $107,854 0.0% 103.1 $104,621 159
161 TRI Tri-Cities Tower 6 $89,784 0.0% 86.5 $103,857 260
162 RFD Rockford Tower 6 $100,368 4.8% 92.2 $103,684 188
163 MAF Midland Tower 7 $99,209 0.0% 95.8 $103,580 208
164 GSO Greensboro Tower 7 $99,209 3.5% 92.9 $103,111 202
165 BUF Buffalo Tower 7 $103,743 4.9% 95.8 $102,945 171
166 STL St. Louis Tower 7 $101,726 3.8% 95.1 $102,936 180
167 BUR Burbank Tower 7 $124,134 5.9% 113.6 $102,861 97
168 PAO Palo Alto Tower 6 $119,911 5.8% 110.4 $102,326 115
169 RHV Reid-Hillview Tower 6 $119,911 5.8% 110.4 $102,326 116
170 FLL Fort Lauderdale Tower 8 $116,754 0.0% 114.2 $102,272 122
171 CAE Columbia Tower 7 $99,209 3.4% 93.7 $102,272 196
172 SBN South Bend Tower 7 $99,209 4.7% 92.9 $101,866 213
173 MWH Grant County Tower 6 $89,784 0.0% 88.2 $101,796 256
174 BIL Billings Tower 7 $99,209 4.3% 93.5 $101,534 195
175 PNS Pensacola Tower 7 $99,209 0.0% 97.7 $101,524 212
176 CKB Clarksburg Tower 5 $81,249 3.7% 77.2 $101,383 276
177 VGT North Las Vegas Tower 7 $101,336 0.0% 100.2 $101,114 184
178 LEX Lexington Tower 7 $99,209 5.6% 92.9 $100,788 206
179 SEE Gillespie Tower 7 $119,346 5.8% 111.9 $100,524 117
180 GGG Longview Tower 6 $89,784 0.0% 89.5 $100,329 250
181 PDK DeKalb-Peachtree Tower 7 $104,913 4.4% 100.1 $100,217 165
182 ABI Abilene Tower 6 $89,784 0.0% 90.4 $99,363 242
183 ILM Wilmington Tower 7 $99,209 3.5% 96.4 $99,315 204
184 AVL Asheville Tower 7 $99,209 3.5% 96.5 $99,222 194
185 FSD Sioux Falls Tower 6 $89,784 0.0% 90.6 $99,067 249
186 MDT Harrisburg International Tower 7 $101,218 4.1% 98.7 $98,427 186
187 FAY Fayetteville Tower 6 $93,757 3.4% 92.0 $98,418 228
188 PIE St. Petersburg Tower 7 $99,209 0.0% 100.9 $98,334 211
189 SDL Scottsdale Tower 7 $103,777 2.1% 103.3 $98,321 170
190 BFL Bakersfield Tower 6 $104,671 5.3% 100.9 $98,291 167
191 MSN Madison Tower 7 $99,802 4.4% 97.3 $98,043 191
192 ORL Orlando Executive Tower 7 $99,209 0.0% 101.4 $97,820 210
193 AMA Amarillo Tower 6 $89,784 0.0% 91.8 $97,783 244
194 HWD Hayward Tower 6 $119,911 5.8% 115.6 $97,733 114
195 JAN Jackson Tower 6 $89,784 3.2% 89.1 $97,613 253
196 MLI Moline Quad City Tower 6 $91,218 4.8% 89.1 $97,494 237
197 MRI Merrill Tower 6 $102,662 0.0% 105.4 $97,384 176
198 HUF Terre Haute Tower 6 $89,784 4.9% 87.8 $97,254 252
199 ACY Atlantic City Tower 6 $100,238 4.2% 98.9 $97,150 189
200 SRQ Sarasota Tower 7 $99,209 0.0% 102.4 $96,865 215
201 BTR Baton Rouge Tower 6 $89,784 2.6% 90.8 $96,361 245
202 CDW Caldwell Tower 6 $113,476 4.4% 112.6 $96,337 127
203 PTK Pontiac Tower 6 $100,567 4.0% 100.3 $96,255 187
204 ADS Addison Tower 6 $99,141 0.0% 103.1 $96,169 217
205 DPA Dupage Tower 6 $104,663 4.8% 103.6 $96,165 168
206 BED Hanscom Tower 6 $109,357 4.8% 108.3 $96,157 152
207 BTV Burlington Tower 7 $101,235 4.2% 101.0 $96,101 185
208 DLH Duluth Tower 6 $89,784 5.1% 88.8 $95,981 247
209 MGM Montgomery Tower 6 $89,784 4.7% 89.7 $95,406 255
210 YNG Youngstown Tower 5 $84,837 1.8% 87.4 $95,304 264
211 STS Sonoma Tower 5 $108,513 5.4% 107.8 $95,241 156
212 OMA Omaha Tower 6 $90,681 3.6% 91.9 $95,131 239
213 TOL Toledo Tower 6 $89,784 3.4% 91.5 $94,851 259
214 BFI Boeing Tower 6 $105,285 0.0% 111.1 $94,740 164
215 MLU Monroe Tower 5 $81,249 2.5% 83.6 $94,734 289
216 PNE Northeast Philadelphia Tower 6 $103,843 6.5% 102.6 $94,684 169
217 AFW Alliance Tower 6 $97,607 0.0% 103.1 $94,681 220
218 MMU Morristown Tower 6 $110,945 4.4% 112.6 $94,232 134
219 HIO Hillsboro Tower 7 $108,167 8.2% 105.4 $94,172 157
220 MRY Monterey Tower 5 $108,513 5.4% 109.0 $94,140 155
221 TUS Tucson Tower 6 $92,790 2.1% 96.9 $93,780 231
222 PDX Portland Tower 7 $107,659 8.2% 105.4 $93,732 160
223 AGS Augusta Tower 6 $89,784 4.3% 91.9 $93,474 243
224 POC Brackett Tower 6 $112,341 5.5% 113.6 $93,443 131
225 SHV Shreveport Tower 5 $81,249 2.5% 84.8 $93,427 292
226 SUS Spirit Tower 6 $92,062 3.7% 95.1 $93,251 235
227 PAE Paine Tower 6 $103,291 0.0% 111.1 $92,946 174
228 LAF Lafayette Tower 6 $90,620 4.2% 93.4 $92,935 240
229 FAT Fresno Tower 7 $99,709 5.1% 102.2 $92,664 192
230 RST Rochester Municipal TRACAB 5 $88,578 5.1% 90.8 $92,577 262
231 FXE Fort Lauderdale Executive Tower 7 $105,659 0.0% 114.2 $92,553 163
232 GRB Green Bay Tower 6 $89,784 4.3% 93.1 $92,344 251
233 FCM Flying Cloud Tower 6 $102,178 5.3% 104.8 $92,304 178
234 LCH Lake Charles Tower 5 $81,249 2.5% 85.9 $92,251 286
235 CMI Champaign Tower 6 $89,784 4.8% 92.7 $92,216 246
236 CPS St. Louis Downtown Tower 6 $92,062 4.8% 95.1 $92,176 234
237 LOU Louisville Bowman Tower 6 $89,784 4.8% 93.1 $91,820 254
238 CRQ Palomar Tower 6 $108,008 5.4% 111.9 $91,333 158
239 ROA Roanoke Tower 6 $89,784 4.8% 93.6 $91,258 257
240 APC Napa Tower 5 $108,513 5.4% 112.6 $91,205 153
241 SUX Sioux Gateway Tower 5 $81,249 3.0% 86.5 $91,166 293
242 RIC Richmond Tower 6 $93,787 4.9% 97.9 $91,159 227
243 SMF Sacramento Tower 6 $102,208 5.2% 106.7 $90,872 177
244 LFT Lafayette Tower 5 $81,249 2.5% 87.2 $90,813 287
245 FLO Florence Tower 5 $81,249 3.1% 86.8 $90,773 281
246 ALO Waterloo Tower 5 $81,249 3.0% 87.1 $90,528 270
247 RNO Reno Tower 6 $91,210 0.0% 101.0 $90,298 238
248 ROC Rochester Tower 6 $91,870 4.8% 97.0 $90,159 236
249 PWK Palwaukee Tower 5 $97,768 4.8% 103.6 $89,839 218
250 SYR Syracuse Tower 6 $89,784 4.7% 95.7 $89,333 258
251 BIS Bismarck TRACAB 5 $81,249 0.4% 91.0 $88,908 274
252 ARB Ann Arbor Tower 5 $93,299 4.0% 100.9 $88,803 229
253 CCR Concord Tower 5 $108,513 5.4% 115.6 $88,790 154
254 SJU San Juan Tower 7 $104,709 n/a 118.0 $88,737 166
255 BDL Bradley Tower 5 $95,630 4.7% 102.8 $88,682 225
256 CID Cedar Rapids Tower 5 $81,249 3.0% 89.0 $88,594 275
257 ALB Albany Tower 6 $92,629 4.8% 99.6 $88,585 232
258 OGG Kahului Tower 6 $103,199 6.1% 109.4 $88,569 175
259 HTS Huntington Tower 5 $81,249 3.7% 88.4 $88,518 285
260 RDG Reading Tower 5 $89,529 4.1% 97.1 $88,487 261
261 YIP Willow Run Tower 5 $92,396 4.0% 100.3 $88,455 233
262 CRW Charleston Tower 5 $81,249 3.7% 88.7 $88,219 278
263 ARR Aurora Tower 5 $95,200 4.8% 103.6 $87,483 226
264 PSP Palm Springs Tower 5 $97,220 4.9% 106.4 $86,817 222
265 CPR Casper Tower 5 $81,249 0.0% 93.8 $86,592 277
266 ONT Ontario Tower 5 $96,248 4.9% 106.4 $85,989 224
267 LNK Lincoln Tower 5 $81,249 3.5% 91.6 $85,643 288
268 NEW Lakefront Tower 5 $81,249 2.5% 92.6 $85,527 290
269 HEF Manassas Tower 5 $97,546 4.9% 108.9 $85,187 221
270 MKC Kansas City Downtown Tower 5 $82,575 4.6% 92.5 $85,158 266
271 AGC Allegheny Tower 5 $84,004 4.1% 94.7 $85,122 265
272 EVV Evansville Tower 5 $81,249 4.1% 91.5 $85,085 280
273 POU Poughkeepsie Tower 5 $97,691 4.8% 109.4 $84,964 219
274 ASE Aspen TRACAB 6 $106,244 3.7% 120.4 $84,948 161
275 EMT El Monte Tower 5 $101,662 5.1% 113.6 $84,914 181
276 SMO Santa Monica Tower 5 $101,662 5.1% 113.6 $84,914 182
277 TOA Torrance Tower 5 $101,662 5.1% 113.6 $84,914 183
278 TWF Twin Falls Tower 5 $81,249 3.9% 92.1 $84,737 295
279 FWA Fort Wayne Tower 5 $81,249 4.5% 92.6 $83,835 282
280 TVC Traverse City Tower 5 $81,249 3.9% 93.4 $83,589 294
281 BGM Binghamton Tower 5 $81,249 4.7% 92.9 $83,414 272
282 AVP Wilkes-Barre Tower 5 $81,249 4.1% 93.6 $83,307 271
283 MFD Mansfield Tower 4 $74,747 1.7% 88.9 $82,676 305
284 ADW Andrews Tower 5 $97,060 7.4% 108.9 $82,584 223
285 GRR Grand Rapids Tower 5 $82,012 3.9% 95.6 $82,447 268
286 JNU Juneau Tower 5 $92,902 0.0% 113.0 $82,214 230
287 ELM Elmira TRACAB 5 $81,249 4.7% 94.4 $82,054 279
288 SCK Stockton Tower 4 $90,347 4.6% 105.1 $82,001 241
289 HLN Helena Tower 5 $81,249 4.0% 95.7 $81,542 284
290 FNT Flint Tower 4 $78,960 3.9% 93.0 $81,538 299
291 EUG Eugene Tower 6 $89,784 7.8% 101.6 $81,478 248
292 CSG Columbus Tower 4 $75,701 4.2% 89.3 $81,212 303
293 GTF Great Falls Tower 5 $81,249 4.0% 96.9 $80,557 283
294 LAN Lansing Tower 4 $79,633 3.9% 95.0 $80,534 298
295 BGR Bangor Tower 5 $81,249 4.7% 96.5 $80,215 273
296 PHF Patrick Henry Tower 5 $82,457 4.8% 97.9 $80,182 267
297 BPT Beaumont Tower 4 $71,585 0.0% 90.1 $79,495 307
298 CAK Akron-Canton Tower 4 $74,747 3.7% 93.4 $77,090 304
299 DAY Dayton Tower 4 $74,251 4.2% 92.7 $76,745 306
300 MHT Manchester Tower 4 $81,076 0.0% 105.7 $76,733 296
301 MBS Saginaw Tower 4 $71,585 3.9% 90.9 $75,689 309
302 ERI Erie Tower 4 $71,585 4.1% 91.0 $75,505 308
303 PIA Peoria Tower 4 $71,585 4.7% 91.2 $74,741 311
304 GCN Grand Canyon Tower 4 $76,477 2.0% 100.3 $74,721 302
305 MKG Muskegon Tower 4 $71,585 3.9% 92.5 $74,355 310
306 MIC Crystal Tower 4 $81,468 4.9% 104.8 $73,890 269
307 SPI Springfield Tower 4 $71,585 4.7% 92.8 $73,516 313
308 ILG Wilmington Tower 4 $78,881 4.9% 102.6 $73,151 300
309 STP St. Paul Tower 4 $80,061 4.9% 104.8 $72,639 297
310 PSC Pasco Tower 4 $71,585 0.0% 100.1 $71,528 312
311 ITO Hilo TRACAB 5 $86,843 5.8% 131.9 $61,996 263
312 STT St. Thomas Tower 4 $78,850 0.0% 138.0 $57,138 301
313 ACK Nantucket Tower 5 $120,000 4.8% 256.0 $44,617 113

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Reading the Numbers

  • Pay is the bottom of the 2026 CPC band, where a controller who has just certified starts: basic pay from the Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan, locality pay, and any Controller Incentive Pay, COLA, or differential. Overtime and other premium pay are excluded. The top of the band is not used because basic pay plus locality is capped at $228,000, a limit 22 facilities hit at the top of the band and none hit at the bottom. The salary calculator shows the full band for any facility.
  • State tax is the 2026 income tax on that entry pay for a single filer taking the standard deduction, computed from each state's brackets as compiled by the Tax Foundation in January 2026, with this year's changes in Arizona, Georgia, Maine, and South Carolina applied. Local income taxes that reach everyone working at a facility are included at 32 facilities: Maryland and Indiana county taxes, Pennsylvania's earned income tax and Philadelphia's wage tax, Ohio and Kentucky city taxes, the Kansas City and Birmingham earnings taxes, and the Portland area's Metro and Multnomah County taxes. New York City's tax falls only on JFK and LGA controllers who live in the city and is left out. Married couples filing jointly pay less in most states. Itemized deductions, Alabama's and Oregon's deductions for federal tax, most deduction phase-outs, and payroll contributions such as disability and paid-leave insurance are not modeled. Federal tax is the same law everywhere and is not deducted.
  • Territories. Guam and the Virgin Islands collect a mirror of the federal income tax in place of it, so no separate state tax applies at ZUA and STT. Puerto Rico taxes federal wages under its own code, which is not modeled; SJU and ZSU are shown before that tax.
  • The price index is the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parity, all items, for the facility's metro area, where 100 is the national average. 11 facilities outside any metro area (ACK, ASE, CKB, ITO, JNU, MWH, ROW, SJU, STT, ZSU, ZUA) use figures from other sources.
  • CIP is included at the 109 facilities that pay it. It comes from a fixed $30 million yearly pool that has run out before year-end, so those facilities read a little better than they pay.
  • COLA at facilities outside the contiguous states is tax-free and is not grossed up here.

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