ILM
Wilmington Tower
FAA Control Tower and Approach Control Wilmington, North Carolina
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | ILM |
| Facility Name | Wilmington Tower |
| Airport Name | Wilmington Intl |
| Type | Tower and Approach Control |
| Level | Level 7
Show historyHide history
• Prior to Jul 2019: Level 6
|
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0600-2300 |
| Airspace Class | Class D |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZDC |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 2220 Control Tower Dr Wilmington, NC 28405 |
| Phone Number | 910-815-4530 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Wilmington 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. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 7 |
| Locality Area | Rest of U.S. |
| Locality Pay | 17.06% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 96.4 (3.6% below avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $102,893 |
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 and Training
| Staffing Information, August 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Board | 15 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 15 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 100.00% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
132.78% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 6.4 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 1.5 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
9 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 2 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 4 |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 2 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 0 (Transfer) | 1 |
| Training Information, August 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 1.78 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 2.1 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 0.8 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 71% |
| ↳ New Hires | 71% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 73% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 3 days |
Historical Trends
ILM Staffing Percentages
ILM Personnel Counts
ILM Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See ILM transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, August 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 91.54% |
| Gaining Target | 104.87% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 2 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 8 |
| ↳ Standard | 7 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 1 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 0 |
| Last Standard Release | 9 days ago |
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Traffic
| July 2025 - June 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 92,831 operations/yr |
| TRACON Operations | 111,566 operations/yr |
| Total Operations | 204,397 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 560 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 7 Up/Down) |
204,818 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | -0.2% vs peer median |