2026 pay for Newark Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
Career Level
Hourly Min.
Hourly Max.
Total Pay Min.
Total Pay Max.
CPC
$87.83
$116.05
$183,299
$242,203
D3
$74.12
$87.83
$154,683
$183,299
D2
$60.40
$74.12
$126,064
$154,683
D1
$46.69
$60.40
$97,442
$126,064
AG
$32.98
$32.98
$68,822
$68,822
Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay, and the additions listed under Pay Factors, including this facility's 8.4% Controller Incentive Pay (how CIP works). It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays.
The maximum above tops the $228,000 federal pay cap because the cap only applies to Basic Pay plus Locality Pay. Differentials such as CIP are paid on top of the cap.
Pay Factors
Facility Level
Level 11
Locality Area
New York
Locality Pay
37.95%
Controller Incentive Pay (CIP)
8.40%
Local Affordability
Cost of Living Index
112.6 (12.6% above avg)
Cost-Adjusted CPC Min
$162,845
How this pay is calculated
Basic Pay (Level 11 CPC band maximum)
$169,087
+ Locality Pay (37.95% of Basic Pay for New York)
+ $64,168
− Statutory pay cap (Basic + Locality cannot exceed $228,000)
+ Controller Incentive Pay (8.4% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure)
+ $3,950
= Total Pay
$68,822
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.
How CIP works
Controller Incentive Pay is a cost-of-living differential under the NATCA contract. It comes from a fixed $30 million yearly pool that has been running out before year-end; when that happens, payments stop until the next fiscal year. It is not retirement-creditable, and at some facilities only controllers on board before a set date receive it.
ATC pay has stalled over the past decade. Marangos & Brown are on a mission to increase pay.
Staffing and Training
Staffing Information, October 2026
CPCs on Board
29 CPCs
CPC Target (CWP)
38 CPCs
Current Staffing
73.68%
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
93.39%
↳ Est. Trainee Certifications
+ 7.9
↳ Committed Inbounds
+ 2
↳ Temporary Inbounds
+ 1
↳ Projected Retirements/Losses
- 2.8
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
11 trainees
↳ Academy Graduates
1
↳ CPC-IT 0 (Transfer)
7
↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer)
2
↳ CPC-IT 3 (Transfer)
1
Training Information, October 2026
Training Time (Avg)
1.95 years
↳ New Hires
2.1 years
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)
1.97 years
Training Success Rate (Avg)
72%
↳ New Hires
67%
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)
71%
Travel Days from Academy
4 days
Historical Trends
EWR Staffing Percentages
EWR Personnel Counts
EWR Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities.
See EWR transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.