Air Traffic Controller
Explore employment trends, required job duties and skills for this career. ASU offers a variety of degrees that can help you prepare for and meet your career goals. Visit ASU's Career and Professional Development Services to learn how to develop your career plan.
Potential job titles in this career
Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS),
Air Traffic Controller (ATC),
Center Air Traffic Controller (Center ATC),
Certified Professional Controller (CPC),
Control Tower Operator,
Enroute Air Traffic Controller (Enroute ATC),
Radar Air Traffic Controller,
Terminal Air Traffic Control Specialist (Terminal ATC Specialist),
Tower Air Traffic Controller (Tower ATC)
* Additional schooling, certification, or degrees maybe be required for some of the potential careers that are listed.
What will I do?
In this career, it is important to know
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
It's useful to be good at
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Speed of Closure - The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Employment trends
| Location | Pay period | 2022 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | 25% | Median% | 75% | 90% | ||
| United States | Hourly | $35.38 | $44.51 | $63.58 | $81.14 | $91.25 |
| Yearly | $73,590 | $92,580 | $132,250 | $168,770 | $189,800 | |
| Arizona | Hourly | $35.44 | $46.95 | $55.49 | $74.52 | $83.36 |
| Yearly | $73,720 | $97,660 | $115,420 | $155,000 | $173,390 | |
| 2022 Median% | ||
|---|---|---|
| United States | $63.58 Hourly | $132,250 Yearly |
| Arizona | $55.49 Hourly | $115,420 Yearly |
Employment (2022)
23,000
employees
Projected growth (2022 - 2032)
Little or no change
Projected job openings (2022 - 2032)
2,000
* Data obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).
What are accelerated programs?
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
What are concurrent programs?
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
What are joint programs?
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
What constitutes a new program?
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the “New Programs” option.
What are online programs?
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
What is the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)?
The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a program in which residents of western states (other than Arizona) may be eligible for reduced nonresident tuition. See more information and eligibility requirements on the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program.
