SNA
John Wayne Tower
FAA Control Tower Costa Mesa, California
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | SNA |
| Facility Name | John Wayne Tower |
| Airport Name | John Wayne/Orange County |
| Type | Tower |
| Level | Level 9
Show historyHide history
• Prior to Aug 2025: Level 8
|
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0615-2300 |
| Airspace Class | Class C |
| Approach/Departure | SCT |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZLA |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 370 Paularino Ave Costa Mesa, CA 92626 |
| Phone Number | 714-668-0141 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for John Wayne Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $71.04 | $95.90 | $148,256 | $200,145 |
| D3 | $61.35 | $71.04 | $128,039 | $148,256 |
| D2 | $51.66 | $61.35 | $107,814 | $128,039 |
| AG | $32.28 | $32.28 | $67,374 | $67,374 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay, and the additions listed under Pay Factors, including this facility's 6.8% Controller Incentive Pay (how CIP works). It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 9 |
| Locality Area | Los Angeles |
| Locality Pay | 36.47% |
| Controller Incentive Pay (CIP) | 6.80% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 113.6 (13.6% above avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $130,541 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 9 CPC band maximum) | $139,698 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $50,948 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $190,646 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (6.8% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $9,499 |
| = Total Pay | $200,145 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 CPC band minimum) | $103,480 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $37,739 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $141,219 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (6.8% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $7,037 |
| = Total Pay | $148,256 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D3 band maximum) | $103,480 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $37,739 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $141,219 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (6.8% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $7,037 |
| = Total Pay | $148,256 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D3 band minimum) | $89,369 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $32,593 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $121,962 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (6.8% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $6,077 |
| = Total Pay | $128,039 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D2 band maximum) | $89,369 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $32,593 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $121,962 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (6.8% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $6,077 |
| = Total Pay | $128,039 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D2 band minimum) | $75,253 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (36.47% of Basic Pay for Los Angeles) | + $27,444 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $102,697 |
| + Controller Incentive Pay (6.8% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $5,117 |
| = Total Pay | $107,814 |
| 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 (6.8% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $3,198 |
| = Total Pay | $67,374 |
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 (6.8% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure) | + $3,198 |
| = Total Pay | $67,374 |
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 | 20 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 23 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 86.96% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
90.93% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 3.8 |
| ↳ Placement List Inbounds | + 1 |
| ↳ Committed Outbounds | - 1 |
| ↳ Placement List Outbounds | - 1 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 1.6 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
6 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 1 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 2 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 1 (Transfer) | 1 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer) | 2 |
| Training Information, August 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 1.26 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 1.22 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 1.12 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 64% |
| ↳ New Hires | 77% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 69% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 3 days |
Historical Trends
SNA Staffing Percentages
SNA Personnel Counts
SNA Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See SNA transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, August 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Non-Academy Sourced |
| Incentive Award | $30,000 |
| ↳ Geographical Incentive | + $10,000 |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 89.87% |
| Gaining Target | 89.87% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 8 |
| ↳ Standard | 5 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 3 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 3 |
| Last Standard Release | 0.5 years ago |
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Traffic
| July 2025 - June 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 380,243 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 1,042 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 9 Tower) |
367,537 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | +3.5% vs peer median |