RDU
Raleigh-Durham Tower
FAA Air Traffic Control Tower at Raleigh-Durham International Airport Morrisville, North Carolina
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | RDU |
| Facility Name | Raleigh-Durham Tower |
| Airport | Raleigh-Durham International Airport |
| 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 | ZDC |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 1000 Sawyer Cir Morrisville, NC 27560 |
| Phone Number | 919-380-3110 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Raleigh-Durham Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $60.61 | $81.82 | $126,494 | $170,767 |
| D3 | $52.35 | $60.61 | $109,245 | $126,494 |
| D2 | $44.08 | $52.35 | $91,989 | $109,245 |
| D1 | $35.81 | $44.08 | $74,740 | $91,989 |
| AG | $27.54 | $27.54 | $57,484 | $57,484 |
| 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 | Raleigh |
| Locality Pay | 22.24% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 98.2 (1.8% below avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $128,865 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 9 CPC band maximum) | $139,698 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.24% of Basic Pay for Raleigh) | + $31,069 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $170,767 |
| = Total Pay | $170,767 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 CPC band minimum) | $103,480 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.24% of Basic Pay for Raleigh) | + $23,014 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $126,494 |
| = Total Pay | $126,494 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D3 band maximum) | $103,480 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.24% of Basic Pay for Raleigh) | + $23,014 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $126,494 |
| = Total Pay | $126,494 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D3 band minimum) | $89,369 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.24% of Basic Pay for Raleigh) | + $19,876 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $109,245 |
| = Total Pay | $109,245 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D2 band maximum) | $89,369 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.24% of Basic Pay for Raleigh) | + $19,876 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $109,245 |
| = Total Pay | $109,245 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D2 band minimum) | $75,253 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.24% of Basic Pay for Raleigh) | + $16,736 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $91,989 |
| = Total Pay | $91,989 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D1 band maximum) | $75,253 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.24% of Basic Pay for Raleigh) | + $16,736 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $91,989 |
| = Total Pay | $91,989 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D1 band minimum) | $61,142 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.24% of Basic Pay for Raleigh) | + $13,598 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $74,740 |
| = Total Pay | $74,740 |
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.24% of Basic Pay for Raleigh) | + $10,458 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $57,484 |
| = Total Pay | $57,484 |
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 (22.24% of Basic Pay for Raleigh) | + $10,458 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $57,484 |
| = Total Pay | $57,484 |
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, September 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Board | 36 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 40 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 87.50% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
120.46% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 17.3 |
| ↳ Placement List Inbounds | + 1 |
| ↳ Committed Outbounds | - 1 |
| ↳ Placement List Outbounds | - 1 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 3 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
19 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 5 |
| ↳ Developmental 1 | 6 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 1 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 1 (Transfer) | 5 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer) | 1 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 3 (Transfer) | 1 |
| Training Information, September 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 1.52 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 2.47 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 1.37 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 91% |
| ↳ New Hires | 70% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 91% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 3 days |
Historical Trends
RDU Staffing Percentages
RDU Personnel Counts
RDU Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See RDU transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, September 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 90.97% |
| Gaining Target | 95.97% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 7 |
| ↳ Standard | 7 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 0 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 9 |
| Last Standard Release | 0.7 years ago |
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Traffic
| August 2025 - July 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 220,725 operations/yr |
| TRACON Operations | 282,048 operations/yr |
| Total Operations | 502,773 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 1,377 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 9 Up/Down) |
501,487 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | +0.3% vs peer median |