CAE - Columbia Tower

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

Location & Contact

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Address	2821 Aviation Way West Columbia, SC 29170
Phone Number	803-822-4500

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

Career Level	Hourly Min.	Hourly Max.	Total Pay Min.	Total Pay 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
Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay. It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays.

Local Affordability
Cost of Living Index	93.7 (6.3% below avg)
Cost-Adjusted CPC Min	$105,925

How this pay is calculated

Basic Pay (Level 7 CPC band maximum)	$114,412
+ Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.)	+ $19,519
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$133,931
= Total Pay	$133,931

Basic Pay (Level 7 CPC band minimum)	$84,751
+ Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.)	+ $14,458
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$99,209
= Total Pay	$99,209

Basic Pay (Level 7 D3 band maximum)	$84,751
+ Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.)	+ $14,458
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$99,209
= Total Pay	$99,209

Basic Pay (Level 7 D3 band minimum)	$75,321
+ Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.)	+ $12,850
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$88,171
= Total Pay	$88,171

Basic Pay (Level 7 D2 band maximum)	$75,321
+ Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.)	+ $12,850
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$88,171
= Total Pay	$88,171

Basic Pay (Level 7 D2 band minimum)	$65,890
+ Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.)	+ $11,241
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$77,131
= Total Pay	$77,131

Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally)	$47,026
+ Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.)	+ $8,023
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$55,049
= Total Pay	$55,049

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 (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.)	+ $8,023
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$55,049
= Total Pay	$55,049

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, August 2026
CPCs on Board	17 CPCs
CPC Target (CWP)	22 CPCs
Current Staffing	72.73%
Projected Staffing Show componentsHide components	113.49%
↳ Est. Trainee Certifications	+ 8.3
↳ Committed Inbounds	+ 4
↳ Placement List Inbounds	+ 1
↳ Placement List Outbounds	- 1
↳ Projected Retirements/Losses	- 2.5
Number of Trainees Show breakdownHide breakdown	10 trainees
↳ Academy Graduates	6
↳ Developmental 2	3
↳ Developmental 3	1

Training Information, August 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

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

Eligibility & Staffing, August 2026
Staffing Source	Academy Sourced
TSL (One Training Time)	91.28%
Gaining Target	100.37%
Possible Gains	0
Primary Releases Avail.	0
Secondary Releases Avail.	0