Air Traffic Manager Salary in the United States

How much does an Air Traffic Manager make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Air Traffic Manager in the United States is $128,750 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $62.

However, an Air Traffic Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $146,294
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $117,657 to $137,933
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $107,557
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View as table View as graph 25% $117,657 10% $107,557 90% $146,294 75% $137,933 $128,750 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Air Traffic Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $137,933 $11,494 $2,653 $66
Average $128,750 $10,729 $2,476 $62
25th Percentile $117,657 $9,805 $2,263 $57
Check out Air Traffic Manager Job Openings in the United States
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER WEATHER OBSERVER

Dynamic Science Inc - Columbus, OH

Traffic Engineer Project Manager

Harrison Consulting Solutions - Columbus, OH

Traffic Signal Technician

Asplundh - Columbus, OH

Senior or Principal Engineer

Toole Design - Columbus, OH

Search More Air Traffic Manager Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Air Traffic Manager Salaries

An Air Traffic Manager'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Air Traffic Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Air Traffic Manager'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): $103,089
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $121,506
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $140,151
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $128,075
  • Expert (over 8 years): $161,117
Levels Salary
Aircraft ... Level Air Traffic Manager$103,089
Aircraft ... Level Air Traffic Manager$121,506
Aircraft ... Level Air Traffic Manager$140,151
Air Traff... Level Air Traffic Manager$128,075
Aircraft ... Level Air Traffic Manager$161,117
$103,089 0 yr
$121,506 < 2 yrs
$140,151 2-4 yrs
$128,075 5-8 yrs
$161,117 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Air Traffic Managers

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: $162,392
  • San Francisco: $160,614
  • Oakland: $157,230

What Skills Can Increase an Air Traffic Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 6.55% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
  • Square (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): Square in geometry, a plane figure with four equal sides and four right (90°) angles. A square is a special kind of rectangle and a special kind of parallelogram.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 6.55%
Continuous Improvement 1.79%
Square 1.79%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
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 Manager's salary.
  • Capacity Management: Can increase your salary by up to 32%.
  • Internal Audit: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Customer Satisfaction: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Capacity Management
$169,950
32%
Internal Audit
$149,350
16%
Customer Satisfaction
$144,200
12%
Process Management
$137,763
7%
Standard Operating Procedures
$137,763
7%
Aeronautics
$137,763
7%
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Air Traffic Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Air Traffic Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Air Traffic Manager positions in MFG Nondurable or MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Air Traffic Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Air Traffic Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$167,375$80.030%
Aerospace & Defense$154,500$74.020%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$141,625$68.010%

How Education impacts an Air Traffic Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Air Traffic Managers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Air Traffic Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $152,966 and $162,165).

Air Traffic Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Air Traffic Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.2%
High School 28.7%
Associates 23.5%
Bachelors 34.6%
Masters 11.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Air Traffic Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Air Traffic Manager'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.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Air Traffic Manager

Salaries for an Air Traffic Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $112,468 in 2023 to around $111,655 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Air Traffic Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Air Traffic Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$112,468
2024
$112,156
2025
$111,655
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $112,468
2024 $112,156
2025 $111,655
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Air Traffic Manager

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Air Traffic Manager

Here are companies hiring for Air Traffic Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Air Traffic Manager Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Air Traffic Manager job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • LAZ Parking

    Columbus, OH

    LAZ Parking | Columbus, OH

    LAZ Parking - - Responsibilities: Monitor on-street parking meters for violations. Issue city-approved parking citations. Upload handheld computer for dail... more

    9 Days Ago

  • Ohio State Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital

    Columbus, OH

    RN

    Ohio State Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital | Columbus, OH

    Travel Rn Stepdown (Pcu) Shift. Night shift - 12 hours. Start date: 09/21/2026. End date: 12/21/2026. Duration: 13 weeks. City: Columbus. State: OH more

    17 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Associate Vice President, Internal Communications. About the Company. National consulting & advisory services firm focused on the healthcare industry. Indu... more

    20 Days Ago

  • C.R. England

    Columbus, OH

    C.R. England | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. C.R. England is Now Urgently Hiring Local Dedicated CDL-A Truck Drivers. \n. Dedicated Local Fleet - Home Daily - Competitive Pay* - Full ... more

    25 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Payments Engineering. About the Company. Globally-recognized provider of corporate payment solutions. Industry. Financial Services. Type. P... more

    27 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Senior Vice President of Project Delivery. About the Company. A multi-billion-dollar construction organization with collaborative, servant-minded leadershi... more

    27 Days Ago

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FAQ about Air Traffic Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Air Traffic Manager?

The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Air Traffic Manager roles, with salaries approximately 30% 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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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