MSN
Madison Tower
FAA Air Traffic Control Tower at Dane County Regional Airport Madison, Wisconsin
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | MSN |
| Facility Name | Madison Tower |
| Airport | Dane County Regional Airport |
| Type | Tower and Approach Control |
| Level | Level 7 |
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0600-2300 |
| Airspace Class | Class C |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZAU |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 4301 International Ln Madison, WI 53704 |
| Phone Number | 608-244-5691 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Madison Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $47.82 | $64.56 | $99,802 | $134,732 |
| D3 | $42.50 | $47.82 | $88,698 | $99,802 |
| D2 | $37.18 | $42.50 | $77,592 | $88,698 |
| AG | $26.53 | $26.53 | $55,378 | $55,378 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay, and the additions listed under Pay Factors, including this facility's 0.7% Controller Incentive Pay (how CIP works). 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% |
| Controller Incentive Pay (CIP) | 0.70% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 97.3 (2.7% below avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $102,582 |
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 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $801 |
| = Total Pay | $134,732 |
| 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 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $593 |
| = Total Pay | $99,802 |
| 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 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $593 |
| = Total Pay | $99,802 |
| 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 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $527 |
| = Total Pay | $88,698 |
| 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 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $527 |
| = Total Pay | $88,698 |
| 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 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $461 |
| = Total Pay | $77,592 |
| 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 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $329 |
| = Total Pay | $55,378 |
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 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $329 |
| = Total Pay | $55,378 |
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 | 17 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 19 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 89.47% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
118.67% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 6 |
| ↳ Committed Inbounds | + 1 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 1.1 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
9 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 4 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 2 |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 3 |
| Training Information, October 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 1.92 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 2.12 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 1.03 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 67% |
| ↳ New Hires | 61% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 83% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 2 days |
Historical Trends
MSN Staffing Percentages
MSN Personnel Counts
MSN Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See MSN transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, October 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 92.52% |
| Gaining Target | 103.05% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 5 |
| ↳ Standard | 5 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 0 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 1 |
| Last Standard Release | 0.3 years ago |
| ERR Demand, September 15, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| ERRs on File (Inbound) | 9 |
| ↳ Releasable | 1 |
| Employees with ERRs (Outbound) | 5 |
| ↳ As % of CPCs | 27.8% |
| ↳ Total ERRs (Outbound) | 18 |
ERR Demand Trends
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Traffic
| September 2025 - August 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 98,992 operations/yr |
| TRACON Operations | 118,857 operations/yr |
| Total Operations | 217,849 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 597 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 7 Up/Down) |
202,750 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | +7.4% vs peer median |