A top-level method with an unusual shape: the median is $148k and the top tenth earn over $215k, yet the FAA pays for your training. The barrier is not money, it is selection. You must be a US citizen, pass medical and background checks, apply before the FAA's age cutoff, pass the aptitude test, and survive the Academy and facility certification, which a meaningful share of trainees do not. Very few people can do this job, which is exactly why it pays like this.
Method
- Watch for the FAA hiring windowOpen announcements happen periodically; an aviation degree (AT-CTI) or relevant experience can qualify you.
- Pass the aptitude test and screeningMedical, security and a demanding cognitive test.
- FAA AcademyMonths of training in Oklahoma City, paid.
- Certify at your facilityOne to three years of on-the-job training before full certification.
Watch out:Intense stress, shift work around the clock, a hard age cutoff to apply and mandatory early retirement. Washing out of training is common.
Pay, licensing and demand vary by state, city and timing. Figures are averaged and partly approximate. Skill levels are illustrative. Sources: BLS OOH, Air Traffic Controllers (median $148,080; 10th pct $78,420; 90th pct $215,610; May 2025).