CAE
Columbia Tower
FAA Control Tower and Approach Control West Columbia, South Carolina
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | CAE |
| Facility Name | Columbia Tower |
| Airport Name | Columbia Metro |
| Type | Tower and Approach Control |
| Level | Level 7
Show historyHide history
• Prior to Mar 2026: Level 6
|
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0000-2359 (always open) |
| Airspace Class | Class C |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZJX |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 2821 Aviation Way West Columbia, SC 29170 |
| Phone Number | 803-822-4500 |
Salary Information
2026 Pay for Columbia Tower
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Salary Min. | Salary Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $47.54 | $64.17 | $99,209 | $133,931 |
| D3 | $42.25 | $47.54 | $88,171 | $99,209 |
| D2 | $36.96 | $42.25 | $77,131 | $88,171 |
| AG | $26.38 | $26.38 | $55,049 | $55,049 |
| Includes everything except premium pay. | ||||
ATC pay has stalled over the past decade. Marangos & Brown are on a mission to increase pay.
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 7 |
| Locality Area | Rest of U.S. |
| Locality Pay | 17.06% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 93.7 (6.3% below avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $105,925 |
Staffing and Training
| Staffing Information, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Board | 17 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 22 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 72.73% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
83.19% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 5 |
| ↳ Committed Inbounds | + 1 |
| ↳ Placement List Outbounds | - 1 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 2.5 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
6 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 3 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 2 |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 1 |
| Training Information, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 1.7 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 1.68 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 1.04 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 83% |
| ↳ New Hires | 87% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 83% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 3 days |
Historical Trends
CAE Staffing Percentages
CAE Personnel Counts
CAE Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities.
| Eligibility & Staffing, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 91.02% |
| Gaining Target | 100.11% |
| Possible Gains | 5 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 2 |
| ↳ Standard | 1 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 1 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 1 |
| Last Standard Release | 2.6 years ago |
| ERR Demand History | |
|---|---|
| Priority / Draft Order Mar 2026 |
#86 |
| Inbound ERRs on File Feb 2026 |
1 |
| Employees with Outbound ERRs Feb 2026 |
3 (15.8%) |
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Traffic
| June 2025 - May 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 80,594 operations/yr |
| TRACON Operations | 113,161 operations/yr |
| Total Operations | 193,755 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 531 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 7 Up/Down) |
206,060 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | -6.0% vs peer median |