The average salary for an air traffic controller in Texas is around $170,080 per year.
Avg Salary
Air traffic controllers earn an average yearly salary of $170,080.
Wages typically start from $90,420 and go up to $222,230.
121% above national average Updated in 2025
Air traffic controller earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level air traffic controller earnings begin at:
$106.84 per hour
$222,230 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level air traffic controller earnings begin at:
$97.40 per hour
$202,590 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level air traffic controller earnings begin at:
$81.77 per hour
$170,080 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level air traffic controller earnings begin at:
$51.92 per hour
$107,990 per year
10th percentile
Starting level air traffic controller earnings begin at:
$43.47 per hour
$90,420 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Air traffic controller salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | $99,810 |
| Wisconsin | $98,860 |
| Puerto Rico | $98,770 |
| Wyoming | $93,580 |
| Oregon | $92,030 |
| Iowa | $90,790 |
| Mississippi | $88,110 |
| Guam | $84,900 |
| Idaho | $81,118 |
| South Dakota | $79,120 |
| West Virginia | $76,220 |
| District of Columbia | $47,760 |
| Virginia | $191,820 |
| Illinois | $181,560 |
| Georgia | $178,420 |
| Colorado | $177,380 |
| Minnesota | $176,840 |
| Texas | $170,080 |
| Washington | $162,570 |
| California | $160,080 |
| Kansas | $159,700 |
| Indiana | $158,810 |
| Hawaii | $158,700 |
| Utah | $158,310 |
| Tennessee | $157,330 |
| New Mexico | $148,550 |
| Florida | $147,530 |
| New Hampshire | $146,080 |
| New York | $144,960 |
| Connecticut | $140,940 |
| Nevada | $140,920 |
| Ohio | $139,970 |
| Arizona | $136,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $132,350 |
| New Jersey | $132,230 |
| Maryland | $131,290 |
| North Carolina | $129,230 |
| Kentucky | $127,800 |
| Rhode Island | $126,300 |
| Massachusetts | $125,060 |
| Alaska | $123,950 |
| Oklahoma | $123,220 |
| Missouri | $122,200 |
| Michigan | $118,930 |
| Alabama | $114,960 |
| South Carolina | $112,030 |
| Nebraska | $111,710 |
| Arkansas | $109,760 |
| Vermont | $109,140 |
| North Dakota | $107,990 |
| Maine | $107,270 |
| Montana | $101,380 |
How do air traffic controller salaries compare to similar careers?
Air traffic controllers earn about the same as related careers in Texas. On average, they make less than air crew officers but more than shipmates.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Air crew officer salary | $215K |
| Air traffic controller salary | $170K |
| Commercial pilot salary | $138K |
| Ship engineer salary | $128K |
| Ship captain salary | $111K |
| Shipmate salary | $111K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)