If you are an air traffic controller looking to find your perfect new home state, take a look into our list of the 25 best states for air traffic controllers.
So, what exactly do air traffic controllers do? In short, they work to ensure that aircraft stay safely spaced when in flight, coordinating the traffic in the air.
Becoming an air traffic controller requires education and training. Positions require some combination of education and work experience totaling 3 years. This can mean a bachelor’s degree in a related field, an associates degree in a related field plus a year of related work, or even 3 years of related work (for instance, a military contract). Applicants must be US citizens, pass background checks and medical checks, and pass exams and courses at the Federal Aviation Administration Academy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of an air traffic controller is about $122,410 per year ($58.85 hourly). They work in route centers, control towers, or approach control facilities. This career has such high earning potential due to the intensely stressful nature of the position. Oftentimes, hours for these professionals are quite rough. They can be expected to work nights, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts. They are also quite literally responsible for the safety of thousands of people every single day, and must remain constantly vigilant during their entire shift.
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If you are interested in working in a different field, you can also check our list of 15 best states for agricultural workers.
Deciding which states qualify as the best states for air traffic controllers is not a simple task. Different factors matter more to different people. We decided to consult the Bureau of Labor Statistics for information on the average mean wage and the number of employed air traffic controllers in each state. We then sourced information on the cost of living index from Missouri Economic Research And Information Center. Considering all of these factors, we were able to sort our list.
It is not enough for a state to simply have a high average salary for its air traffic controllers. It must also be considered that the number of working air traffic controllers in the state may affect the number of job positions that are open to newcomers. On the other side of that argument, more employed air traffic controllers points to the possibility of a more steady stream of work available. The cost of living index can also not be considered alone. It is great to have a low cost of living, but this only matters if your salary is also not super low. A low cost of living paired with a high salary is the most advantageous situation. States falling into this category made the top of our list.
Without further ado, here is our list of 25 best states for air traffic controllers.
25. Mississippi
Cost of living index: 86
Annual mean wage: $85,600
Hourly mean wage: $41.15
Number of employees: 140
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24. Nebraska
Cost of living index: 91.3
Annual mean wage: $91,210
Hourly mean wage: $43.85
Number of employees: 70
23. Arkansas
Cost of living index: 88.5
Annual mean wage: $89,800
Hourly mean wage: $43.17
Number of employees: 100
22. Wisconsin
Cost of living index: 96.9
Annual mean wage: $100,920
Hourly mean wage: $48.51
Number of employees: 140
21. North Carolina
Cost of living index: 94.2
Annual mean wage: $99,920
Hourly mean wage: $48.03
Number of employees: 600
20. Arizona
Cost of living index: 98.1
Annual mean wage: $104,790
Hourly mean wage: $50.37
Number of employees: 430
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19. Washington
Cost of living index: 107.1
Annual mean wage: $118,010
Hourly mean wage: $56.73
Number of employees: 600
18. Missouri
Cost of living index: 90.8
Annual mean wage: $100,970
Hourly mean wage: $48.54
Number of employees: 240
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17. Pennsylvania
Cost of living index: 102.8
Annual mean wage: $115,130
Hourly mean wage: $55.35
Number of employees: 400
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16. Nevada
Cost of living index: 104.5
Annual mean wage: $115,570
Hourly mean wage: $56.52
Number of employees: 220
15. Kentucky
Cost of living index: 90.8
Annual mean wage: $104,870
Hourly mean wage: $50.41
Number of employees: 210
We’re halfway through our list of best states for air traffic controllers, and if you are wondering about the other half, click next.
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14. Oklahoma
Cost of living index: 88.6
Annual mean wage: $104,150
Hourly mean wage: $50.07
Number of employees: 550
13. Florida
Cost of living index: 99
Annual mean wage: $118,530
Hourly mean wage: $56.98
Number of employees: 1,780
12. New Hampshire
Cost of living index: 119.2
Annual mean wage: $143,360
Hourly mean wage: $68.92
Number of employees: 440
11. New Mexico
Cost of living index: 95.7
Annual mean wage: $119,040
Hourly mean wage: $57.23
Number of employees: 340
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10. Michigan
Cost of living index: 88.2
Annual mean wage: $110,250
Hourly mean wage: $53.00
Number of employees: 370
9. Minnesota
Cost of living index: 101.1
Annual mean wage: $131,950
Hourly mean wage: $63.43
Number of employees: 590
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8. Kansas
Cost of living index: 90.4
Annual mean wage: $118,800
Hourly mean wage: $57.11
Number of employees: 450
7. Illinois
Cost of living index: 95.5
Annual mean wage: $128,270
Hourly mean wage: $61.66
Number of employees: 1,350
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6. Indiana
Cost of living index: 87.9
Annual mean wage: $120,410
Hourly mean wage: $57.88
Number of employees: 640
5. Virginia
Cost of living index: 100.2
Annual mean wage: $137,410
Hourly mean wage: $66.06
Number of employees: 1,060
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4. Texas
Cost of living index: 90.7
Annual mean wage: $124,850
Hourly mean wage: $60.02
Number of employees: 2,060
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3. Tennessee
Cost of living index: 89.8
Annual mean wage: $125,030
Hourly mean wage: $60.11
Number of employees: 600
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2. Ohio
Cost of living index: 93
Annual mean wage: $131,880
Hourly mean wage: $63.40
Number of employees: 740
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1. Georgia
Cost of living index: 91.4
Annual mean wage: $135,900
Hourly mean wage: $65.33
Number of employees: 900
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This was our list of 25 best states for air traffic controllers. We hope we managed to show you some great options, and what you should expect from each state when deciding where to move.
