Direct aircraft safely on the ground and in the air, coordinating takeoffs, landings, and routes.
You may also see this posted as: Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS), Air Traffic Controller (ATC), Certified Professional Controller (CPC), Enroute Air Traffic Controller (Enroute ATC), Center Air Traffic Controller (Center ATC), Control Tower Operator.
Control towers and radar centers; intense focus at screens and windows.
Shift work including nights, weekends, and holidays; rotating schedules.
Conventional
organizing information, following systems, and getting details right
Realistic
working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world
Enterprising
leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action
O*NET job zone 3 of 5
Medium preparation—often vocational training, an associate degree, or substantial experience—is usually needed.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
Associate degree
Training path: The FAA pays you to train at its academy — no degree required.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training.
Requires FAA training and certification; there is an age limit to enter.
You can earn while you train. This field has a genuinely paid pathway in — an apprenticeship, a paid academy, or employer-funded training — so you draw a paycheck instead of taking on debt to learn it.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
Six figures in your twenties with no bachelor's. Hard rule: apply before you turn 31.
Run the Reality Check — build the life you want and see the salary it takes, then compare it to this one.
Browse verified internships, fellowships, and programs — many paid — that lead into fields like this.
Free resume templates, interview practice, and getting-hired guides in the Careers kit.
Standard Occupational Classification 53-2021. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.