Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee Salary in the United States
How much does an Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee in the United States is $66,967 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.
However, an Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $83,264
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $59,495 to $75,497
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $52,692
10%$52,692
50% (Median)$66,967
90%$83,264
Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee Salaries by Percentile
Key Factors That Influence Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee Salaries
An Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $48,896
Early Career (1-2 years): $53,892
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $67,485
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $81,829
Expert (over 8 years): $105,839
Levels
Salary
Traffic C... Level Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
$48,896
Traffic C... Level Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
$53,892
Air Traff... Level Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
$67,485
Traffic S... Level Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
$81,829
Traffic M... Level Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
How Do Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainees. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $74,145.
California: $73,864.
Massachusetts: $72,880.
District of Columbia$74,145
California$73,864
Massachusetts$72,880
Washington$72,612
New Jersey$72,585
Alaska$72,491
Connecticut$71,567
New York$71,192
Hawaii$69,993
Rhode Island$69,431
Maryland$69,049
Minnesota$68,527
Colorado$68,326
Illinois$68,259
Oregon$68,005
Delaware$67,817
New Hampshire$67,699
Virginia$67,435
Pennsylvania$66,665
Nevada$66,277
North Dakota$66,150
Michigan$65,949
Wisconsin$65,875
Vermont$65,728
Texas$65,319
Maine$65,292
Arizona$65,252
Ohio$65,205
Georgia$64,589
Indiana$64,281
Wyoming$64,221
Utah$64,127
Iowa$64,087
Kansas$63,766
Louisiana$63,672
North Carolina$63,638
Missouri$63,625
Florida$63,364
Montana$63,223
Nebraska$63,089
Kentucky$63,016
South Carolina$62,748
Tennessee$62,580
Idaho$62,513
New Mexico$62,024
Oklahoma$61,917
Alabama$61,522
South Dakota$60,859
Arkansas$60,498
West Virginia$60,303
Mississippi$59,721
Top Paying Cities for Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainees
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $84,465
San Francisco: $83,540
Oakland: $81,780
San Jose, CA$84,465
San Francisco, CA$83,540
Oakland, CA$81,780
New York, NY$77,105
Paramus, NJ$76,167
Queens Village, NY$76,164
Passaic, NJ$76,100
Bergenfield, NJ$76,094
Stamford, CT$75,947
Huntington, NY$75,919
Newark, NJ$75,424
Bridgeport, CT$75,283
Vallejo, CA$75,150
New Brunswick, NJ$75,123
Petaluma, CA$75,083
Middlesex, NJ$74,956
Somerset, NJ$74,909
Santa Cruz, CA$74,822
Boston, MA$74,413
Monterey, CA$74,178
Seattle, WA$74,025
Santa Rosa, CA$74,011
Los Angeles, CA$73,991
Juneau, AK$73,817
Washington, DC$73,744
Orange, CA$73,505
Santa Ana, CA$73,328
Long Beach, CA$73,261
Anaheim, CA$73,248
Anchorage, AK$73,215
Santa Maria, CA$73,014
Everett, WA$73,000
Danbury, CT$72,765
Bremerton, WA$72,672
Tacoma, WA$72,431
New Suffolk, NY$72,430
Sacramento, CA$72,411
Santa Barbara, CA$72,337
Trenton, NJ$72,264
San Diego, CA$72,264
Brockton, MA$72,190
Fairbanks, AK$72,026
Lompoc, CA$71,855
Lowell, MA$71,801
Ventura, CA$71,788
Nashua, NH$71,775
Stockton, CA$71,768
Modesto, CA$71,279
Poughkeepsie, NY$71,132
Olympia, WA$71,005
Kennewick, WA$71,005
New Haven, CT$70,978
Lawrence, MA$70,737
Hartford, CT$70,670
Riverside, CA$70,656
New Bedford, MA$70,589
Richland, WA$70,589
Bakersfield, CA$70,496
San Bernardino, CA$70,469
New Britain, CT$70,462
Atlantic City, NJ$70,462
New London, CT$70,435
Norwich, CT$70,415
Portsmouth, NH$70,402
Boulder, CO$70,260
Portland, OR$70,168
Worcester, MA$70,161
Minneapolis, MN$69,953
Philadelphia, PA$69,860
Honolulu, HI$69,639
Saint Paul, MN$69,606
Vineland, NJ$69,592
Providence, RI$69,397
Chicago, IL$69,203
Bellingham, WA$69,123
Springfield, MA$69,069
Baltimore, MD$69,049
Chico, CA$68,882
Pittsfield, MA$68,701
Manchester, NH$68,574
Spokane, WA$68,279
Denver, CO$68,272
Albany, NY$67,958
Troy, NY$67,931
Nassau, NY$67,859
Schenectady, NY$67,790
Wilmington, DE$67,737
Burlington, VT$67,643
Salem, OR$67,616
Portland, ME$67,409
Yakima, WA$67,342
Rochester, MN$67,134
Reno, NV$67,101
Fresno, CA$67,101
Milwaukee, WI$67,040
Detroit, MI$66,973
Ann Arbor, MI$66,962
Allentown, PA$66,953
Colorado Springs, CO$66,839
Syracuse, NY$66,806
Carson City, NV$66,806
Houston, TX$66,712
Eugene, OR$66,679
Gary, IN$66,598
Springfield, OR$66,545
Bismarck, ND$66,531
Galveston, TX$66,484
Medford, OR$66,384
Fort Collins, CO$66,357
Concord, NH$66,324
Austin, TX$66,304
Mesa, AZ$66,163
Reading, PA$66,156
Phoenix, AZ$66,150
Dallas, TX$66,130
Saint Cloud, MN$66,065
Madison, WI$65,975
Utica, NY$65,795
Rochester, NY$65,688
Des Moines, IA$65,681
Raleigh, NC$65,674
Atlanta, GA$65,574
Battle Creek, MI$65,554
Salt Lake City, UT$65,534
Lancaster, PA$65,433
Harrisburg, PA$65,339
Kansas City, MO$65,272
Champaign, IL$65,259
Kansas City, KS$65,259
Fort Worth, TX$65,252
Columbus, OH$65,241
Boca Raton, FL$65,225
Pittsburgh, PA$65,199
Richmond, VA$65,172
Indianapolis, IN$65,159
Cleveland, OH$65,152
Las Vegas, NV$65,071
Cincinnati, OH$65,071
Petersburg, VA$64,971
Huntsville, AL$64,871
Lansing, MI$64,826
Lebanon, PA$64,817
Pueblo, CO$64,810
Appleton, WI$64,790
Buffalo, NY$64,763
Dayton, OH$64,743
Racine, WI$64,730
Charlotte, NC$64,723
Saint Louis, MO$64,703
York, PA$64,663
Elkhart, IN$64,663
Gastonia, NC$64,650
Billings, MT$64,634
Beaumont, TX$64,616
Lorain, OH$64,603
Benton Harbor, MI$64,589
Toledo, OH$64,576
Binghamton, NY$64,542
Rock Hill, SC$64,536
Rockford, IL$64,502
Springfield, IL$64,475
Elyria, OH$64,469
Fargo, ND$64,469
Flagstaff, AZ$64,422
Fort Lauderdale, FL$64,382
Duluth, MN$64,342
Miami, FL$64,342
Cheyenne, WY$64,295
Grand Forks, ND$64,295
Bangor, ME$64,147
Cedar Rapids, IA$64,074
Durham, NC$64,046
Louisville, KY$64,040
Grand Rapids, MI$64,027
Hialeah, FL$64,020
Casper, WY$63,926
Scranton, PA$63,846
New Orleans, LA$63,826
Virginia Beach, VA$63,819
Akron, OH$63,786
Peoria, IL$63,699
Sarasota, FL$63,685
Nashville, TN$63,638
Omaha, NE$63,638
Green Bay, WI$63,638
Baton Rouge, LA$63,605
Charleston, SC$63,591
Jamestown, NY$63,558
Davenport, IA$63,558
Tucson, AZ$63,525
Saint Petersburg, FL$63,484
Tampa, FL$63,471
Evansville, IN$63,431
Port Arthur, TX$63,431
Bradenton, FL$63,404
Santa Fe, NM$63,283
Orlando, FL$63,163
Clearwater, FL$63,143
Canton, OH$63,002
La Crosse, WI$63,002
Albuquerque, NM$62,962
Newport News, VA$62,955
High Point, NC$62,935
Ogden, UT$62,908
Corpus Christi, TX$62,855
Norfolk, VA$62,815
Laramie, WY$62,815
Rock Island, IL$62,774
Saginaw, MI$62,761
Jacksonville, FL$62,754
Salisbury, NC$62,741
Boise, ID$62,728
Moline, IL$62,694
Fort Myers, FL$62,674
Memphis, TN$62,661
Tulsa, OK$62,627
Waterloo, IA$62,587
Spartanburg, SC$62,520
Lincoln, NE$62,487
Fort Wayne, IN$62,473
Provo, UT$62,466
Cedar Falls, IA$62,386
San Antonio, TX$62,359
Greensboro, NC$62,333
South Bend, IN$62,326
Savannah, GA$62,252
Muskegon, MI$62,225
Birmingham, AL$62,219
Winston Salem, NC$62,186
Lake Charles, LA$62,024
Anderson, IN$62,011
Lexington, KY$61,991
Augusta, GA$61,971
Greenville, SC$61,971
Lima, OH$61,917
Wichita, KS$61,911
Tuscaloosa, AL$61,911
Columbia, SC$61,850
Springfield, OH$61,837
Asheville, NC$61,730
Bloomington, IN$61,683
Knoxville, TN$61,442
Shreveport, LA$61,435
Wilmington, NC$61,348
Roanoke, VA$61,348
Topeka, KS$61,228
Frankfort, KY$61,220
Oklahoma City, OK$61,174
Chillicothe, OH$61,147
Longview, TX$61,141
Melbourne, FL$61,134
Sioux Falls, SD$61,027
Mobile, AL$61,020
Terre Haute, IN$60,993
Altoona, PA$60,953
Amarillo, TX$60,906
Killeen, TX$60,886
Fayetteville, AR$60,832
Chattanooga, TN$60,812
Sioux City, IA$60,752
Idaho Falls, ID$60,739
Lynchburg, VA$60,685
Gainesville, FL$60,598
Portsmouth, OH$60,565
Little Rock, AR$60,551
Lafayette, LA$60,524
Youngstown, OH$60,524
Daytona Beach, FL$60,484
Clarksville, TN$60,478
Pensacola, FL$60,471
Temple, TX$60,466
Hopkinsville, KY$60,270
Erie, PA$60,257
Florence, SC$60,230
Charleston, WV$60,123
Great Falls, MT$60,089
Macon, GA$59,995
Tallahassee, FL$59,989
Fayetteville, NC$59,975
Waco, TX$59,962
Helena, MT$59,915
Pine Bluff, AR$59,890
Vincennes, IN$59,808
Lubbock, TX$59,781
Alamogordo, NM$59,741
Twin Falls, ID$59,681
Rapid City, SD$59,661
Jackson, MS$59,540
Huntington, WV$59,535
Greenville, MS$59,533
Parkersburg, WV$59,465
Montgomery, AL$59,453
Wichita Falls, TX$59,386
Springfield, MO$59,386
Biloxi, MS$59,352
Monroe, LA$59,286
Johnstown, PA$59,239
Sumter, SC$59,212
Columbus, GA$59,205
Pascagoula, MS$59,078
Abilene, TX$59,078
Kingsport, TN$58,904
Albany, GA$58,904
Gulfport, MS$58,884
Alexandria, LA$58,663
Fort Smith, AR$58,495
El Paso, TX$58,315
Las Cruces, NM$58,013
Harlingen, TX$57,843
Pocatello, ID$57,832
Florence, AL$57,745
Brownsville, TX$57,732
Mcallen, TX$57,591
Dothan, AL$57,498
Columbus, MS$57,100
Altus, OK$56,788
Lawton, OK$56,660
Pierre, SD$56,419
What Skills Can Increase an Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 10.69% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Warehouse Management System (Mentioned in 3.69% Job Postings): A set of policies and processes intended to organise the work of a warehouse or distribution centre, and ensure that such a facility can operate efficiently and meet its objectives.
ERP (Mentioned in 0.92% Job Postings): Enterprise resource planning (ERP) refers to a type of software that organizations use to manage day-to-day business activities such as accounting, procurement, project management, risk management and compliance, and supply chain operations.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee's salary.
Microsoft Word: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
Continuous Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Biotechnology and Financial Services
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average.
In contrast, Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee positions in Retail & Wholesale or Transportation typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for an Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology
$100,450
$48.0
50%
Financial Services
$93,753
$45.0
40%
Internet
$90,405
$43.0
35%
Software & Networking
$87,057
$42.0
30%
Pharmaceuticals
$83,708
$40.0
25%
Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how an Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$59,495
Average$66,967/year
$75,497
$4,958
Average$5,581/month
$6,291
$1,144
Average$1,288/week
$1,452
$29
Average$32/hour
$36
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$75,497
$6,291
$1,452
$36
Average
$66,967
$5,581
$1,288
$32
25th Percentile
$59,495
$4,958
$1,144
$29
Salaries of Jobs related to Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
Air Traffic Control Instructor$118,559
Air Traffic Control Associate$110,882
Air Traffic Control Manager$105,509
Air Traffic Control Analyst$103,661
Air Traffic Control Engineer$102,312
Air Traffic Systems Specialist$79,723
Air Traffic Controller Specialist$70,123
Air Traffic Control Specialist$69,367
air traffic control$62,030
Air Traffic Controller Trainee$57,213
Air Traffic Control Operator$49,997
Salary Trends for Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
Salaries for an Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $54,954 in 2023
to around $54,695 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee Over Time
$???
$54,954
$55,050
$54,695
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$54,954
2024
$55,050
2025
$54,695
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
Here are companies hiring for Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee?
The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee roles,
with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
