2026 pay for Chicago ARTCC, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
Career Level
Hourly Min.
Hourly Max.
Total Pay Min.
Total Pay Max.
CPC
$85.68
$113.59
$178,806
$237,055
D3
$71.92
$85.68
$150,089
$178,806
D2
$58.16
$71.92
$121,376
$150,089
D1
$44.40
$58.16
$92,655
$121,376
AG
$30.64
$30.64
$63,936
$63,936
Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay, and the additions listed under Pay Factors, including this facility's 5.1% Controller Incentive Pay (how CIP works). It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays.
The maximum above tops the $228,000 federal pay cap because the cap only applies to Basic Pay plus Locality Pay. Differentials such as CIP are paid on top of the cap.
Pay Factors
Facility Level
Level 12
Locality Area
Chicago
Locality Pay
30.86%
Controller Incentive Pay (CIP)
5.10%
Local Affordability
Cost of Living Index
103.6 (3.6% above avg)
Cost-Adjusted CPC Min
$172,593
How this pay is calculated
Basic Pay (Level 12 CPC band maximum)
$177,543
+ Locality Pay (30.86% of Basic Pay for Chicago)
+ $54,790
− Statutory pay cap (Basic + Locality cannot exceed $228,000)
+ Controller Incentive Pay (5.1% of Basic Pay, not of the locality-adjusted figure)
+ $2,398
= Total Pay
$63,936
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, October 2026
CPCs on Board
266 CPCs
CPC Target (CWP)
290 CPCs
Current Staffing
90.69%
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
100.54%
↳ Est. Trainee Certifications
+ 82.1
↳ Committed Inbounds
+ 1
↳ Committed Outbounds
- 2
↳ Projected Retirements/Losses
- 52.3
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
101 trainees
↳ Academy Graduates
36
↳ Developmental 1
14
↳ Developmental 2
24
↳ Developmental 3
23
↳ CPC-IT 1 (Transfer)
3
↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer)
1
Training Information, October 2026
Training Time (Avg)
2.74 years
↳ New Hires
3.13 years
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)
1.38 years
Training Success Rate (Avg)
81%
↳ New Hires
81%
↳ Transfers (CPC-IT)
82%
Travel Days from Academy
2 days
Historical Trends
ZAU Staffing Percentages
ZAU Personnel Counts
ZAU Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities.
See ZAU transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.