CMH - Columbus Tower | Air Traffic Control Tower

Facility Information

Facility Overview
Identifier	CMH
Facility Name	Columbus Tower
Airport	John Glenn Columbus International Airport
Type	Tower and Approach Control
Level	Level 8 Show historyHide history • Prior to May 2017: Level 9
Core 30 Airport	No

Location & Contact

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Address	4277 International Gtwy Columbus, OH 43219
Phone Number	614-338-4092

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

Career Level	Hourly Min.	Hourly Max.	Total Pay Min.	Total Pay Max.
CPC	$54.81	$74.00	$114,394	$154,432
D3	$47.99	$54.81	$100,157	$114,394
D2	$41.17	$47.99	$85,917	$100,157
AG	$27.52	$27.52	$57,442	$57,442
Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay. It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays.

Local Affordability
Cost of Living Index	95.5 (4.5% below avg)
Cost-Adjusted CPC Min	$119,822

How this pay is calculated

Basic Pay (Level 8 CPC band maximum)	$126,428
+ Locality Pay (22.15% of Basic Pay for Columbus)	+ $28,004
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$154,432
= Total Pay	$154,432

Basic Pay (Level 8 CPC band minimum)	$93,650
+ Locality Pay (22.15% of Basic Pay for Columbus)	+ $20,744
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$114,394
= Total Pay	$114,394

Basic Pay (Level 8 D3 band maximum)	$93,650
+ Locality Pay (22.15% of Basic Pay for Columbus)	+ $20,744
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$114,394
= Total Pay	$114,394

Basic Pay (Level 8 D3 band minimum)	$81,995
+ Locality Pay (22.15% of Basic Pay for Columbus)	+ $18,162
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$100,157
= Total Pay	$100,157

Basic Pay (Level 8 D2 band maximum)	$81,995
+ Locality Pay (22.15% of Basic Pay for Columbus)	+ $18,162
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$100,157
= Total Pay	$100,157

Basic Pay (Level 8 D2 band minimum)	$70,338
+ Locality Pay (22.15% of Basic Pay for Columbus)	+ $15,579
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$85,917
= Total Pay	$85,917

Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally)	$47,026
+ Locality Pay (22.15% of Basic Pay for Columbus)	+ $10,416
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$57,442
= Total Pay	$57,442

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 (22.15% of Basic Pay for Columbus)	+ $10,416
= Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3)	$57,442
= Total Pay	$57,442

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	38 CPCs
CPC Target (CWP)	45 CPCs
Current Staffing	80.00%
Projected Staffing Show componentsHide components	120.54%
↳ Est. Trainee Certifications	+ 22.4
↳ Projected Retirements/Losses	- 3.4
Number of Trainees Show breakdownHide breakdown	28 trainees
↳ Academy Graduates	13
↳ Developmental 2	9
↳ Developmental 3	1
↳ CPC-IT 0 (Transfer)	1
↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer)	3
↳ CPC-IT 3 (Transfer)	1

Training Information, September 2026
Training Time (Avg)	1.61 years
↳ New Hires	2.47 years
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)	1.51 years
Training Success Rate (Avg)	80%
↳ New Hires	70%
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)	82%
Travel Days from Academy	2 days

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

Eligibility & Staffing, September 2026
Staffing Source	Academy Sourced
TSL (One Training Time)	91.26%
Gaining Target	95.71%
Possible Gains	0
Primary Releases Avail.	0
Secondary Releases Avail.	0