Air Traffic Controllers salary · California
Air Traffic Controllers Salary in California
Air Traffic Controllers in California earn a median of $160,080 a year, which is $76.96 an hour. That is $12,000 above the national median of $148,080, a difference of 8 percent. The state employs 2,290.
California against the US May 2025
| Figure | California | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $160,080 | $148,080 |
| Median hourly | $76.96 | $71.19 |
| Mean annual | $156,910 | $146,490 |
| 10th percentile | $80,960 | $78,420 |
| 90th percentile | $225,680 | $215,610 |
| Employment | 2,290 | 22,510 |
How California compares
By median pay, California ranks 3 of the 5 states this site reports for air traffic controllers. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.
Common questions
How much do air traffic controllers make in California?
The median salary for air traffic controllers in California is $160,080 a year, or $76.96 an hour. That is $12,000 above the national median of $148,080, a difference of 8 percent. California employs 2,290 of them.
Is California a good state to work as an air traffic controller?
On pay alone, California ranks 3 of the 5 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.
What is the pay range for air traffic controllers in California?
The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $80,960 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $225,680 or more. The middle half falls between $115,810 and $207,670.
Where these numbers come from
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 53-2021 in California. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national air traffic controllers salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.