BFL - Bakersfield Tower | Air Traffic Control Tower

Facility Information

Facility Overview
Identifier	BFL
Facility Name	Bakersfield Tower
Airport	Meadows Field
Type	Tower and Approach Control
Level	Level 6 Show historyHide history • Prior to Jun 2016: Level 7
Core 30 Airport	No

2026 pay for Bakersfield Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:

Career Level	Hourly Min.	Hourly Max.	Total Pay Min.	Total Pay Max.
CPC	$50.15	$67.71	$104,671	$141,302
D3	$45.30	$50.15	$94,547	$104,671
D2	$40.45	$45.30	$84,421	$94,547
AG	$30.75	$30.75	$64,176	$64,176
Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay. It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays.

Local Affordability
Cost of Living Index	100.9 (0.9% above avg)
Cost-Adjusted CPC Min	$103,748

How this pay is calculated

Basic Pay (Level 6 CPC band maximum)	$103,541
+ Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles)	+ $37,761
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$141,302
= Total Pay	$141,302

Basic Pay (Level 6 CPC band minimum)	$76,699
+ Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles)	+ $27,972
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$104,671
= Total Pay	$104,671

Basic Pay (Level 6 D3 band maximum)	$76,699
+ Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles)	+ $27,972
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$104,671
= Total Pay	$104,671

Basic Pay (Level 6 D3 band minimum)	$69,281
+ Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles)	+ $25,266
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$94,547
= Total Pay	$94,547

Basic Pay (Level 6 D2 band maximum)	$69,281
+ Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles)	+ $25,266
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$94,547
= Total Pay	$94,547

Basic Pay (Level 6 D2 band minimum)	$61,860
+ Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles)	+ $22,561
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$84,421
= Total Pay	$84,421

Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally)	$47,026
+ Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles)	+ $17,150
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$64,176
= Total Pay	$64,176

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 (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles)	+ $17,150
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$64,176
= Total Pay	$64,176

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 Information, September 2026
CPCs on Board	15 CPCs
CPC Target (CWP)	17 CPCs
Current Staffing	82.35%
Projected Staffing Show componentsHide components	106.73%
↳ Est. Trainee Certifications	+ 5.3
↳ Projected Retirements/Losses	- 1.2
Number of Trainees Show breakdownHide breakdown	6 trainees
↳ Academy Graduates	4
↳ Developmental 2	1
↳ Developmental 3	1

Training Information, September 2026
Training Time (Avg)	1.61 years
↳ New Hires	1.63 years
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)	0.75 years
Training Success Rate (Avg)	88%
↳ New Hires	88%
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)	84%
Travel Days from Academy	3 days

NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See BFL transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.

Eligibility & Staffing, September 2026
Staffing Source	Academy Sourced
TSL (One Training Time)	91.26%
Gaining Target	103.03%
Possible Gains	0
Primary Releases Avail.	0
Secondary Releases Avail.	0