2026 pay for Northern California TRACON, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
Career Level
Hourly Min.
Hourly Max.
Total Pay Min.
Total Pay Max.
CPC
$83.79
$111.97
$174,860
$233,681
D3
$70.33
$83.79
$146,778
$174,860
D2
$56.87
$70.33
$118,698
$146,778
D1
$43.42
$56.87
$90,611
$118,698
AG
$29.96
$29.96
$62,526
$62,526
Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay, and the additions listed under Pay Factors, including this facility's 3.2% 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 12
Locality Area
Sacramento
Locality Pay
29.76%
Controller Incentive Pay (CIP)
3.20%
Local Affordability
Cost of Living Index
106.7 (6.7% above avg)
Cost-Adjusted CPC Min
$163,927
How this pay is calculated
Basic Pay (Level 12 CPC band maximum)
$177,543
+ Locality Pay (29.76% of Basic Pay for Sacramento)
+ $52,837
− Statutory pay cap (Basic + Locality cannot exceed $228,000)
+ Controller Incentive Pay (3.2% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure)
+ $1,505
= Total Pay
$62,526
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, August 2026
CPCs on Board
125 CPCs
CPC Target (CWP)
170 CPCs
Current Staffing
73.53%
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
73.94%
↳ Est. Trainee Certifications
+ 10.8
↳ Committed Inbounds
+ 4
↳ Projected Retirements/Losses
- 12.6
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
17 trainees
↳ Academy Graduates
3
↳ CPC-IT 0 (Transfer)
10
↳ CPC-IT 1 (Transfer)
1
↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer)
2
↳ CPC-IT 3 (Transfer)
1
Training Information, August 2026
Training Time (Avg)
1.9 years
↳ New Hires
2.63 years
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)
1.89 years
Training Success Rate (Avg)
63%
↳ New Hires
39%
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)
62%
Travel Days from Academy
4 days
Historical Trends
NCT Staffing Percentages
NCT Personnel Counts
NCT Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities.
See NCT transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.