SAN
San Diego Tower
FAA Air Traffic Control Tower at San Diego International Airport San Diego, California
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | SAN |
| Facility Name | San Diego Tower |
| Airport | San Diego International Airport |
| Type | Tower |
| Level | Level 8
Show historyHide history
• Prior to Oct 2018: Level 7
|
| Core 30 Airport | Yes |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0000-2359 (always open) |
| Airspace Class | Class B |
| Approach/Departure | SCT |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZLA |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 3690 Pacific Hwy San Diego, CA 92101 |
| Phone Number | 619-299-0677 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for San Diego Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $63.15 | $85.25 | $131,785 | $177,910 |
| D3 | $55.29 | $63.15 | $115,384 | $131,785 |
| D2 | $47.43 | $55.29 | $98,979 | $115,384 |
| AG | $31.71 | $31.71 | $66,175 | $66,175 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay, and the additions listed under Pay Factors, including this facility's 7% Controller Incentive Pay (how CIP works). It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 8 |
| Locality Area | San Diego |
| Locality Pay | 33.72% |
| Controller Incentive Pay (CIP) | 7.00% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 111.9 (11.9% above avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $117,780 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 8 CPC band maximum) | $126,428 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (33.72% of Basic Pay for San Diego) | + $42,632 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $169,060 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $8,850 |
| = Total Pay | $177,910 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 CPC band minimum) | $93,650 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (33.72% of Basic Pay for San Diego) | + $31,579 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $125,229 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $6,556 |
| = Total Pay | $131,785 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D3 band maximum) | $93,650 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (33.72% of Basic Pay for San Diego) | + $31,579 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $125,229 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $6,556 |
| = Total Pay | $131,785 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D3 band minimum) | $81,995 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (33.72% of Basic Pay for San Diego) | + $27,649 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $109,644 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $5,740 |
| = Total Pay | $115,384 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D2 band maximum) | $81,995 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (33.72% of Basic Pay for San Diego) | + $27,649 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $109,644 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $5,740 |
| = Total Pay | $115,384 |
| Basic Pay (Level 8 D2 band minimum) | $70,338 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (33.72% of Basic Pay for San Diego) | + $23,717 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $94,055 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $4,924 |
| = Total Pay | $98,979 |
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (33.72% of Basic Pay for San Diego) | + $15,857 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $62,883 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $3,292 |
| = Total Pay | $66,175 |
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 (33.72% of Basic Pay for San Diego) | + $15,857 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $62,883 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (7% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $3,292 |
| = Total Pay | $66,175 |
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 | 21 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 23 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 86.96% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
122.28% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 7 |
| ↳ Committed Inbounds | + 1 |
| ↳ Temporary Inbounds | + 1 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 0.7 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
9 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 3 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 1 |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 3 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer) | 2 |
| Training Information, November 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 0.61 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 0.79 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 0.53 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 78% |
| ↳ New Hires | 80% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 77% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 3 days |
Historical Trends
SAN Staffing Percentages
SAN Personnel Counts
SAN Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See SAN transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, November 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 88.59% |
| Gaining Target | 97.28% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 2 |
| ↳ Standard | 2 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 0 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 12 |
| Last Standard Release | 0.3 years ago |
| ERR Demand, October 14, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| ERRs on File (Inbound) | 25 |
| ↳ Releasable | 6 |
| Employees with ERRs (Outbound) | 2 |
| ↳ As % of CPCs | 9.1% |
| ↳ Total ERRs (Outbound) | 7 |
ERR Demand Trends
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Traffic
| October 2025 - September 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 264,514 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 725 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 8 Tower) |
264,514 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | +0.0% vs peer median |