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Air traffic controller salary in Texas

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$170,080median pay per year in Texas, or $81.77 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $90,420lowest 10% earn less
  2. $107,99025th percentile
  3. $170,080median
  4. $202,59075th percentile
  5. $222,230top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $148,080[3]

The median air traffic controller in Texas earned $170,080 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $22,000 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
2,060[4]
Rank by median pay
6 of 43[5]
Compared with US median
+14.9%[6]

How much do air traffic controllers make in Texas?

Half of air traffic controllers in Texas earned more than $170,080 a year, which works out to $81.77 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was lower than the median at $156,370 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for air traffic controllers was $148,080[3]. Texas was $22,000 (14.9%) above that[6]. It was $121,460 above the median for all jobs in the state, which was $48,620[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $90,420, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $222,230[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $107,990 and $202,590[2]. Texas had the 6th highest median annual wage for air traffic controllers among the 42 states and DC with a published median[5].

The one metro area listed for the state is Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, where the median was $186,510[10]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed and owners of unincorporated firms, and it does not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[11].

Texas vs US pay

Pay for air traffic controllers in Texas next to the national figures[1][3].

TXUS
Median per year$170,080[1]$148,080[3]
Median per hour$81.77[1]$71.19[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$90,420[2]$78,420[12]
Top 10% earn more than$222,230[2]$215,610[12]
Jobs2,060[4]22,510[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

Metro areas in Texas with the most jobs for air traffic controllers, and the median pay in each[10].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX[10]$186,510800

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for air traffic controllers in the states that border Texas, highest first[13].

StateMedian per yearJobs
New Mexico[13]$148,550350
Oklahoma$123,220270
Arkansas$109,76080
Louisiana$99,810230

Median pay for air traffic controllers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for air traffic controllers are projected to grow 1.7% from 2025 to 2035[14]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: associate's degree[15].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does an air traffic controller make in Texas?
The median air traffic controller in Texas earned $170,080 a year in May 2025, and the average was $156,370[1][7].
How much does an air traffic controller make an hour in Texas?
The median was $81.77 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 25th percentile was $51.92 and the 75th percentile was $97.40[16].
Which city in Texas pays air traffic controllers the most?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington was the only metro area listed for Texas, with a median annual wage of $186,510[10].
Is Texas a good state for air traffic controllers?
Texas had the 6th highest median annual wage for air traffic controllers among the 42 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was $22,000 higher than the US median[6].
What do you need to become an air traffic controller in Texas?
This is a US figure, not one for Texas. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is an associate's degree, with no related work experience and long-term on-the-job training[15].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Air Traffic Controllers in Texas was $170,080 per year and $81.77 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Air Traffic Controllers in Texas: 10th percentile $90,420, 25th percentile $107,990, 75th percentile $202,590, 90th percentile $222,230. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Air Traffic Controllers in the US as a whole was $148,080 per year and $71.19 per hour, with about 22,510 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,060 people worked as Air Traffic Controllers in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 6th highest median annual wage for Air Traffic Controllers out of the 42 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Air Traffic Controllers in Texas ($170,080) was $22,000 (14.9%) higher than the US median ($148,080). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Air Traffic Controllers in Texas was $156,370 per year and $75.18 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Air Traffic Controllers in Texas was $121,460 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Air Traffic Controllers in the US: 10th percentile $78,420, 25th percentile $104,520, 75th percentile $190,570, 90th percentile $215,610. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Air Traffic Controllers in states that border Texas (highest first): New Mexico $148,550; Oklahoma $123,220; Arkansas $109,760; Louisiana $99,810. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Air Traffic Controllers is projected to grow 1.7% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,100 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Air Traffic Controllers: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Air Traffic Controllers in Texas: 10th percentile $43.47, 25th percentile $51.92, 75th percentile $97.40, 90th percentile $106.84. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Texas. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.