Flight Controller Salary in the United States

How much does a Flight Controller make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Flight Controller in the United States is $76,446 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $37.

However, a Flight Controller's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $88,056
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $70,071 to $82,523
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $64,267
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View as table View as graph 25% $70,071 10% $64,267 90% $88,056 75% $82,523 $76,446 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Flight Controller Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $82,523 $6,877 $1,587 $40
Average $76,446 $6,370 $1,470 $37
25th Percentile $70,071 $5,839 $1,348 $34
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Key Factors That Influence Flight Controller Salaries

A Flight Controller'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 Flight Controller Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Flight Controller'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): $75,999
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $85,564
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $100,580
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $136,219
  • Expert (over 8 years): $168,307
Levels Salary
Flight Co... Level Flight Controller$75,999
Flight In... Level Flight Controller$85,564
Flight In... Level Flight Controller$100,580
Flight In... Level Flight Controller$136,219
Flight In... Level Flight Controller$168,307
$75,999 0 yr
$85,564 < 2 yrs
$100,580 2-4 yrs
$136,219 5-8 yrs
$168,307 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Flight Controllers

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: $96,421
  • San Francisco: $95,473
  • Oakland: $93,356

What Skills Can Increase a Flight Controller's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 28.94% 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.
  • Aircraft Maintenance (Mentioned in 1.86% Job Postings): Aircraft maintenance is the performance of tasks required to ensure the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft or aircraft part, including overhaul, inspection, replacement, defect rectification, and the embodiment of modifications, compliance with airworthiness directives and repair.
  • Data Quality (Mentioned in 0.78% Job Postings): Data quality refers to the condition of a set of values of qualitative or quantitative variables. There are many definitions of data quality but data is generally considered high quality if it is "fit for [its] intended uses in operations, decision making and planning". Alternatively, data is deemed of high quality if it correctly represents the real-world construct to which it refers. Furthermore, apart from these definitions, as data volume increases, the question of internal data consistency becomes significant, regardless of fitness for use for any particular external purpose. People's views on data quality can often be in disagreement, even when discussing the same set of data used for the same purpose. Data cleansing may be required in order to ensure data quality.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 28.94%
Aircraft Maintenance 1.86%
Data Quality 0.78%
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 a Flight Controller's salary.
  • Catering: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
  • Work Under Pressure: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Physical Security: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Catering
$93,264
22%
Work Under Pressure
$86,384
13%
Physical Security
$86,384
13%
Goal Oriented
$84,855
11%
Support Services
$84,855
11%
Project Management
$84,855
11%
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How Education impacts a Flight Controller's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Flight Controllers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Flight Controller with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $73,650 and $79,072).

Flight Controller Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Flight Controller
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 33.3%
High School 33.3%
Associates 0.0%
Bachelors 66.7%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Flight Controller Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Flight Controller'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 April 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Flight Controller

Salaries for a Flight Controller can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $55,636 in 2023 to around $53,320 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Flight Controller salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Flight Controller Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$55,636
2024
$54,469
2025
$53,320
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $55,636
2024 $54,469
2025 $53,320
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Flight Controller

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Flight Controller

Here are companies hiring for Flight Controller and their salaries, click below for more details.

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

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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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