2026 pay for Philadelphia Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
Career Level
Hourly Min.
Hourly Max.
Total Pay Min.
Total Pay Max.
CPC
$83.24
$111.88
$173,717
$233,504
D3
$69.87
$83.24
$145,817
$173,717
D2
$56.50
$69.87
$117,921
$145,817
D1
$43.13
$56.50
$90,018
$117,921
AG
$29.76
$29.76
$62,117
$62,117
Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay, and the additions listed under Pay Factors, including this facility's 3.1% 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
Philadelphia
Locality Pay
28.99%
Controller Incentive Pay (CIP)
3.10%
Local Affordability
Cost of Living Index
102.6 (2.5% above avg)
Cost-Adjusted CPC Min
$169,397
How this pay is calculated
Basic Pay (Level 12 CPC band maximum)
$177,543
+ Locality Pay (28.99% of Basic Pay for Philadelphia)
+ $51,470
− Statutory pay cap (Basic + Locality cannot exceed $228,000)
+ Controller Incentive Pay (3.1% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure)
+ $1,458
= Total Pay
$62,117
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
90 CPCs
CPC Target (CWP)
110 CPCs
Current Staffing
80.91%
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
95.41%
↳ Est. Trainee Certifications
+ 23.9
↳ Committed Inbounds
+ 1
↳ Placement List Inbounds
+ 8
↳ Temporary Inbounds
+ 1
↳ Projected Retirements/Losses
- 16.3
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
29 trainees
↳ Developmental 3
1
↳ CPC-IT 0 (Transfer)
20
↳ CPC-IT 1 (Transfer)
2
↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer)
6
Training Information, August 2026
Training Time (Avg)
2.18 years
↳ New Hires
2.46 years
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)
2.15 years
Training Success Rate (Avg)
82%
↳ New Hires
71%
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)
83%
Travel Days from Academy
4 days
Historical Trends
PHL Staffing Percentages
PHL Personnel Counts
PHL Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities.
See PHL transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.