PSP
Palm Springs Tower
FAA Air Traffic Control Tower at Palm Springs International Airport Palm Springs, California
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | PSP |
| Facility Name | Palm Springs Tower |
| Airport | Palm Springs International Airport |
| Type | Tower |
| Level | Level 5 |
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0600-2300 |
| Airspace Class | Class D |
| Approach/Departure | SCT |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZLA |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 280 N El Cielo Rd Palm Springs, CA 92262 |
| Phone Number | 760-327-1546 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Palm Springs Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $46.58 | $62.89 | $97,220 | $131,245 |
| D3 | $42.83 | $46.58 | $89,381 | $97,220 |
| AG | $31.56 | $31.56 | $65,869 | $65,869 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay, and the additions listed under Pay Factors, including this facility's 3.6% Controller Incentive Pay (how CIP works). It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 5 |
| Locality Area | Los Angeles |
| Locality Pay | 36.47% |
| Controller Incentive Pay (CIP) | 3.60% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 106.4 (6.4% above avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $91,338 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 5 CPC band maximum) | $93,699 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $34,173 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $127,872 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (3.6% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $3,373 |
| = Total Pay | $131,245 |
| Basic Pay (Level 5 CPC band minimum) | $69,408 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $25,313 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $94,721 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (3.6% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $2,499 |
| = Total Pay | $97,220 |
| Basic Pay (Level 5 D3 band maximum) | $69,408 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $25,313 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $94,721 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (3.6% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $2,499 |
| = Total Pay | $97,220 |
| Basic Pay (Level 5 D3 band minimum) | $63,812 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $23,272 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $87,084 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (3.6% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $2,297 |
| = Total Pay | $89,381 |
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $17,150 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $64,176 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (3.6% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $1,693 |
| = Total Pay | $65,869 |
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 (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $17,150 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $64,176 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (3.6% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $1,693 |
| = Total Pay | $65,869 |
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, November 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Board | 9 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 10 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 90.00% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
123.15% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 3.7 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 0.4 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
4 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 2 |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 1 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 3 (Transfer) | 1 |
| Training Information, November 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 0.92 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 1.19 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 0.38 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 92% |
| ↳ New Hires | 89% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 89% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 3 days |
Historical Trends
PSP Staffing Percentages
PSP Personnel Counts
PSP Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See PSP transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, November 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 89.58% |
| Gaining Target | 109.58% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 3 |
| ↳ Standard | 3 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 0 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 0 |
| Last Standard Release | 1.7 years ago |
| ERR Demand, October 14, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| ERRs on File (Inbound) | 3 |
| ↳ Releasable | 0 |
| Employees with ERRs (Outbound) | 1 |
| ↳ As % of CPCs | 11.1% |
| ↳ Total ERRs (Outbound) | 1 |
ERR Demand Trends
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Traffic
| October 2025 - September 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 65,186 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 179 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 5 Tower) |
81,957 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | -20.5% vs peer median |