ABQ
Albuquerque Tower
FAA Control Tower and Approach Control Albuquerque, New Mexico
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | ABQ |
| Facility Name | Albuquerque Tower |
| Airport Name | Albuquerque Intl Sunport |
| Type | Tower and Approach Control |
| Level | Level 8 |
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0000-2359 (always open) |
| Airspace Class | Class C |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZAB |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 2800 Kirtland Dr SE Albuquerque, NM 87117 |
| Phone Number | 505-856-4900 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Albuquerque Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $53.10 | $71.68 | $110,816 | $149,602 |
| D3 | $46.49 | $53.10 | $97,025 | $110,816 |
| D2 | $39.88 | $46.49 | $83,230 | $97,025 |
| AG | $26.66 | $26.66 | $55,646 | $55,646 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay. It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 8 |
| Locality Area | Albuquerque |
| Locality Pay | 18.33% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 95.6 (4.5% below avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $115,977 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 8 CPC band maximum) | $126,428 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.33% of Basic Pay for Albuquerque) | + $23,174 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $149,602 |
| = Total Pay | $149,602 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 CPC band minimum) | $93,650 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.33% of Basic Pay for Albuquerque) | + $17,166 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $110,816 |
| = Total Pay | $110,816 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D3 band maximum) | $93,650 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.33% of Basic Pay for Albuquerque) | + $17,166 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $110,816 |
| = Total Pay | $110,816 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D3 band minimum) | $81,995 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.33% of Basic Pay for Albuquerque) | + $15,030 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $97,025 |
| = Total Pay | $97,025 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D2 band maximum) | $81,995 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.33% of Basic Pay for Albuquerque) | + $15,030 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $97,025 |
| = Total Pay | $97,025 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D2 band minimum) | $70,338 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.33% of Basic Pay for Albuquerque) | + $12,892 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $83,230 |
| = Total Pay | $83,230 |
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.33% of Basic Pay for Albuquerque) | + $8,620 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $55,646 |
| = Total Pay | $55,646 |
The AG band is a single national rate, so the top and bottom of the band are the same.
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (18.33% of Basic Pay for Albuquerque) | + $8,620 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $55,646 |
| = Total Pay | $55,646 |
The AG band is a single national rate, so the top and bottom of the band are the same.
Amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar, so lines can differ from the total by a dollar or two.
ATC pay has stalled over the past decade. Marangos & Brown are on a mission to increase pay.
Staffing and Training
| Staffing Information, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Board | 22 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 24 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 91.67% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
121.22% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 9.6 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 2.5 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
12 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 7 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 1 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 0 (Transfer) | 2 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer) | 1 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 3 (Transfer) | 1 |
| Training Information, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 1.81 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 2.81 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 1.03 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 80% |
| ↳ New Hires | 74% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 86% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 2 days |
Historical Trends
ABQ Staffing Percentages
ABQ Personnel Counts
ABQ Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities.
| Eligibility & Staffing, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 91.37% |
| Gaining Target | 99.70% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 1 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 4 |
| ↳ Standard | 1 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 3 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 6 |
| Last Standard Release | Recently |
| ERR Demand History | |
|---|---|
| Priority / Draft Order Mar 2026 |
#61 |
| Inbound ERRs on File Feb 2026 |
4 |
| Employees with Outbound ERRs Feb 2026 |
4 (17.4%) |
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Traffic
| June 2025 - May 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 153,241 operations/yr |
| TRACON Operations | 173,534 operations/yr |
| Total Operations | 326,775 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 895 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 8 Up/Down) |
333,797 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | -2.1% vs peer median |