PDX
Portland Tower
FAA Air Traffic Control Tower at Portland International Airport Portland, Oregon
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | PDX |
| Facility Name | Portland Tower |
| Airport | Portland International Airport |
| Type | Tower |
| Level | Level 7
Show historyHide history
• Prior to Aug 2023: Level 8
|
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0000-2359 (always open) |
| Airspace Class | Class C |
| Approach/Departure | P80 |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZSE |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 7108 NE Airport Way Portland, OR 97218 |
| Phone Number | 503-493-7500 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Portland Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $51.59 | $69.64 | $107,659 | $145,338 |
| D3 | $45.85 | $51.59 | $95,681 | $107,659 |
| AG | $28.62 | $28.62 | $59,737 | $59,737 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay, and the additions listed under Pay Factors, including this facility's 0.9% Controller Incentive Pay (how CIP works). It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 7 |
| Locality Area | Portland |
| Locality Pay | 26.13% |
| Controller Incentive Pay (CIP) | 0.90% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 105.4 (5.4% above avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $102,124 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 7 CPC band maximum) | $114,412 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (26.13% of Basic Pay for Portland) | + $29,896 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $144,308 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.9% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $1,030 |
| = Total Pay | $145,338 |
| Basic Pay (Level 7 CPC band minimum) | $84,751 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (26.13% of Basic Pay for Portland) | + $22,145 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $106,896 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.9% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $763 |
| = Total Pay | $107,659 |
| Basic Pay (Level 7 D3 band maximum) | $84,751 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (26.13% of Basic Pay for Portland) | + $22,145 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $106,896 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.9% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $763 |
| = Total Pay | $107,659 |
| Basic Pay (Level 7 D3 band minimum) | $75,321 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (26.13% of Basic Pay for Portland) | + $19,682 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $95,003 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.9% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $678 |
| = Total Pay | $95,681 |
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (26.13% of Basic Pay for Portland) | + $12,288 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $59,314 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.9% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $423 |
| = Total Pay | $59,737 |
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 (26.13% of Basic Pay for Portland) | + $12,288 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $59,314 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (0.9% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $423 |
| = Total Pay | $59,737 |
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 | 28 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 19 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 147.37% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
145.95% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 0.9 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 1.1 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
1 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 1 |
| Training Information, October 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 1.11 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 1.58 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 0.89 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 87% |
| ↳ New Hires | 85% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 88% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 5 days |
Historical Trends
PDX Staffing Percentages
PDX Personnel Counts
PDX Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See PDX transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, October 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 89.92% |
| Gaining Target | 100.45% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 10 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 9 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 2 |
| ↳ Standard | 2 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 0 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 1 |
| Last Standard Release | 1.1 years ago |
| ERR Demand, September 15, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| ERRs on File (Inbound) | 23 |
| ↳ Releasable | 2 |
| Employees with ERRs (Outbound) | 2 |
| ↳ As % of CPCs | 7.1% |
| ↳ Total ERRs (Outbound) | 5 |
ERR Demand Trends
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Traffic
| September 2025 - August 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 237,804 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 652 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 7 Tower) |
177,730 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | +33.8% vs peer median |