PAO
Palo Alto Tower
FAA Air Traffic Control Tower at Palo Alto Airport Palo Alto, California
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | PAO |
| Facility Name | Palo Alto Tower |
| Airport | Palo Alto Airport |
| Type | Tower |
| Level | Level 6 |
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0700-2100 |
| Airspace Class | Class D |
| Approach/Departure | NCT |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZOA |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 1909 Embarcadero Rd Palo Alto, CA 94303 |
| Phone Number | 650-493-0641 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Palo Alto Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $57.46 | $77.56 | $119,911 | $161,876 |
| D3 | $51.90 | $57.46 | $108,313 | $119,911 |
| AG | $35.23 | $35.23 | $73,521 | $73,521 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay, and the additions listed under Pay Factors, including this facility's 10% Controller Incentive Pay (how CIP works). It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 6 |
| Locality Area | San Francisco |
| Locality Pay | 46.34% |
| Controller Incentive Pay (CIP) | 10.00% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 110.4 (10.4% above avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $108,595 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 6 CPC band maximum) | $103,541 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (46.34% of Basic Pay for San Francisco) | + $47,981 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $151,522 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $10,354 |
| = Total Pay | $161,876 |
| Basic Pay (Level 6 CPC band minimum) | $76,699 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (46.34% of Basic Pay for San Francisco) | + $35,542 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $112,241 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $7,670 |
| = Total Pay | $119,911 |
| Basic Pay (Level 6 D3 band maximum) | $76,699 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (46.34% of Basic Pay for San Francisco) | + $35,542 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $112,241 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $7,670 |
| = Total Pay | $119,911 |
| Basic Pay (Level 6 D3 band minimum) | $69,281 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (46.34% of Basic Pay for San Francisco) | + $32,104 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $101,385 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $6,928 |
| = Total Pay | $108,313 |
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (46.34% of Basic Pay for San Francisco) | + $21,792 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $68,818 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $4,703 |
| = Total Pay | $73,521 |
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 (46.34% of Basic Pay for San Francisco) | + $21,792 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $68,818 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $4,703 |
| = Total Pay | $73,521 |
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, September 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Board | 9 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 11 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 81.82% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
110.08% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 3.5 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 0.4 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
4 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 1 |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 3 |
| Training Information, September 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 1.17 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 1.25 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 0.47 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 87% |
| ↳ New Hires | 85% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 90% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 4 days |
Historical Trends
PAO Staffing Percentages
PAO Personnel Counts
PAO Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See PAO transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, September 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 89.85% |
| Gaining Target | 108.03% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 5 |
| ↳ Standard | 0 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 5 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 0 |
| Last Standard Release | None in 3+ years |
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Traffic
| August 2025 - July 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 159,851 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 438 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 6 Tower) |
139,884 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | +14.3% vs peer median |