PBI
West Palm Beach Tower
FAA Control Tower and Approach Control West Palm Beach, Florida
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | PBI |
| Facility Name | West Palm Beach Tower |
| Airport Name | Palm Beach Intl |
| Type | Tower and Approach Control |
| Level | Level 9 |
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0000-2359 (always open) |
| Airspace Class | Class C |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZMA |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 3550 Belvedere Road West Palm Beach, FL 33406 |
| Phone Number | 561-683-1867 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for West Palm Beach Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $61.82 | $83.45 | $129,009 | $174,162 |
| D3 | $53.39 | $61.82 | $111,416 | $129,009 |
| D2 | $44.95 | $53.39 | $93,817 | $111,416 |
| D1 | $36.52 | $44.95 | $76,226 | $93,817 |
| AG | $28.09 | $28.09 | $58,627 | $58,627 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay. It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 9 |
| Locality Area | Miami |
| Locality Pay | 24.67% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 114.2 (14.2% above avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $113,007 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 9 CPC band maximum) | $139,698 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (24.67% of Basic Pay for Miami) | + $34,464 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $174,162 |
| = Total Pay | $174,162 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 CPC band minimum) | $103,480 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (24.67% of Basic Pay for Miami) | + $25,529 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $129,009 |
| = Total Pay | $129,009 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D3 band maximum) | $103,480 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (24.67% of Basic Pay for Miami) | + $25,529 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $129,009 |
| = Total Pay | $129,009 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D3 band minimum) | $89,369 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (24.67% of Basic Pay for Miami) | + $22,047 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $111,416 |
| = Total Pay | $111,416 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D2 band maximum) | $89,369 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (24.67% of Basic Pay for Miami) | + $22,047 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $111,416 |
| = Total Pay | $111,416 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D2 band minimum) | $75,253 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (24.67% of Basic Pay for Miami) | + $18,564 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $93,817 |
| = Total Pay | $93,817 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D1 band maximum) | $75,253 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (24.67% of Basic Pay for Miami) | + $18,564 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $93,817 |
| = Total Pay | $93,817 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D1 band minimum) | $61,142 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (24.67% of Basic Pay for Miami) | + $15,084 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $76,226 |
| = Total Pay | $76,226 |
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (24.67% of Basic Pay for Miami) | + $11,601 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $58,627 |
| = Total Pay | $58,627 |
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 (24.67% of Basic Pay for Miami) | + $11,601 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $58,627 |
| = Total Pay | $58,627 |
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 | 38 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 59 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 64.41% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
83.57% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 16.2 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 4.9 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
22 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 6 |
| ↳ Developmental 1 | 4 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 1 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 0 (Transfer) | 4 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 1 (Transfer) | 3 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer) | 4 |
| Training Information, August 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 2.83 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 3.36 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 2.69 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 73% |
| ↳ New Hires | 71% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 74% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 4 days |
Historical Trends
PBI Staffing Percentages
PBI Personnel Counts
PBI Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See PBI transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, August 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 94.91% |
| Gaining Target | 98.30% |
| Possible Gains | 12 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 5 |
| ↳ Standard | 0 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 5 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 13 |
| Last Standard Release | None in 3+ years |
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Traffic
| June 2025 - May 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 166,010 operations/yr |
| TRACON Operations | 457,898 operations/yr |
| Total Operations | 623,908 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 1,709 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 9 Up/Down) |
501,026 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | +24.5% vs peer median |