HOU
Hobby Tower
FAA Control Tower Houston, Texas
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | HOU |
| Facility Name | Hobby Tower |
| Airport Name | William P Hobby |
| Type | Tower |
| Level | Level 8 |
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0000-2359 (always open) |
| Airspace Class | Class B |
| Approach/Departure | I90 |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZHU |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 8410 Lockheed Ave Houston, TX 77061 |
| Phone Number | 713-847-1400 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Hobby Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $60.58 | $81.78 | $126,428 | $170,678 |
| D3 | $53.04 | $60.58 | $110,693 | $126,428 |
| D2 | $45.50 | $53.04 | $94,956 | $110,693 |
| AG | $30.42 | $30.42 | $63,485 | $63,485 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay. It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 8 |
| Locality Area | Houston |
| Locality Pay | 35.00% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 98.6 (1.4% below avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $128,184 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 8 CPC band maximum) | $126,428 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (35% of Basic Pay for Houston) | + $44,250 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $170,678 |
| = Total Pay | $170,678 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 CPC band minimum) | $93,650 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (35% of Basic Pay for Houston) | + $32,778 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $126,428 |
| = Total Pay | $126,428 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D3 band maximum) | $93,650 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (35% of Basic Pay for Houston) | + $32,778 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $126,428 |
| = Total Pay | $126,428 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D3 band minimum) | $81,995 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (35% of Basic Pay for Houston) | + $28,698 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $110,693 |
| = Total Pay | $110,693 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D2 band maximum) | $81,995 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (35% of Basic Pay for Houston) | + $28,698 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $110,693 |
| = Total Pay | $110,693 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D2 band minimum) | $70,338 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (35% of Basic Pay for Houston) | + $24,618 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $94,956 |
| = Total Pay | $94,956 |
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (35% of Basic Pay for Houston) | + $16,459 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $63,485 |
| = Total Pay | $63,485 |
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 (35% of Basic Pay for Houston) | + $16,459 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $63,485 |
| = Total Pay | $63,485 |
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 and Training
| Staffing Information, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Board | 19 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 21 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 90.48% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
118.41% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 8.5 |
| ↳ Committed Inbounds | + 3 |
| ↳ Committed Outbounds | - 4 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 1.5 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
9 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 5 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 3 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 0 (Transfer) | 1 |
| Training Information, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 0.93 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 1.05 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 0.84 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 95% |
| ↳ New Hires | 80% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 97% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 1 days |
Historical Trends
HOU Staffing Percentages
HOU Personnel Counts
HOU Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities.
| Eligibility & Staffing, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 88.54% |
| Gaining Target | 98.07% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 12 |
| ↳ Standard | 12 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 0 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 10 |
| Last Standard Release | 0.5 years ago |
| ERR Demand History | |
|---|---|
| Priority / Draft Order Mar 2026 |
#153 |
| Inbound ERRs on File Feb 2026 |
14 |
| Employees with Outbound ERRs Feb 2026 |
3 (14.3%) |
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Traffic
| June 2025 - May 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 214,084 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 587 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 8 Tower) |
266,143 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | -19.6% vs peer median |