SBA
Santa Barbara Tower
FAA Air Traffic Control Tower at Santa Barbara Municipal Airport Santa Barbara, California
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | SBA |
| Facility Name | Santa Barbara Tower |
| Airport | Santa Barbara Municipal Airport |
| Type | Tower and Approach Control |
| Level | Level 7 |
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0600-2300 |
| Airspace Class | Class C |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZLA |
| Towers Served | SBP, SMX |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 10 Burns Pl Santa Barbara, CA 93117 |
| Phone Number | 805-681-0534 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Santa Barbara Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $59.48 | $80.30 | $124,134 | $167,580 |
| D3 | $52.86 | $59.48 | $110,323 | $124,134 |
| D2 | $46.24 | $52.86 | $96,509 | $110,323 |
| AG | $33.00 | $33.00 | $68,879 | $68,879 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay, and the additions listed under Pay Factors, including this facility's 10% Controller Incentive Pay (how CIP works). It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 7 |
| Locality Area | Los Angeles |
| Locality Pay | 36.47% |
| Controller Incentive Pay (CIP) | 10.00% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 108.8 (8.8% above avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $114,094 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 7 CPC band maximum) | $114,412 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $41,727 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $156,139 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $11,441 |
| = Total Pay | $167,580 |
| Basic Pay (Level 7 CPC band minimum) | $84,751 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $30,908 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $115,659 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $8,475 |
| = Total Pay | $124,134 |
| Basic Pay (Level 7 D3 band maximum) | $84,751 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $30,908 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $115,659 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $8,475 |
| = Total Pay | $124,134 |
| Basic Pay (Level 7 D3 band minimum) | $75,321 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $27,470 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $102,791 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $7,532 |
| = Total Pay | $110,323 |
| Basic Pay (Level 7 D2 band maximum) | $75,321 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $27,470 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $102,791 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $7,532 |
| = Total Pay | $110,323 |
| Basic Pay (Level 7 D2 band minimum) | $65,890 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $24,030 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $89,920 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $6,589 |
| = Total Pay | $96,509 |
| 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 (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $4,703 |
| = Total Pay | $68,879 |
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 (10% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $4,703 |
| = Total Pay | $68,879 |
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, September 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Board | 20 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 22 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 90.91% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
121.44% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 7.8 |
| ↳ Committed Inbounds | + 2 |
| ↳ Committed Outbounds | - 1 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 1.7 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
10 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 2 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 5 |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 2 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 0 (Transfer) | 1 |
| Training Information, September 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 2.09 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 2.27 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 1.61 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 78% |
| ↳ New Hires | 72% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 100% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 4 days |
Historical Trends
SBA Staffing Percentages
SBA Personnel Counts
SBA Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See SBA transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, September 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 92.80% |
| Gaining Target | 101.89% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 5 |
| ↳ Standard | 3 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 2 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 1 |
| Last Standard Release | 1.6 years ago |
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Traffic
| August 2025 - July 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 103,261 operations/yr |
| TRACON Operations | 154,681 operations/yr |
| Total Operations | 257,942 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 707 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 7 Up/Down) |
203,283 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | +26.9% vs peer median |