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Air Traffic Controller
TransportationYou guide planes through the sky and keep them from hitting each other, which is exactly as stressful as it sounds. You'll stare at a radar screen for hours in a dark room, communicate with pilots in clipped, coded language, and carry the knowledge that one wrong call means CNN leads with your name. The mandatory retirement age of 56 exists for a reason.
Salary Range
Low
$80k
Median
$137k
High
$195k
10-Year Growth
average
US Workers
25K
Education
FAA Academy training + AT-CTI program or prior experience (hired before age 31)
Environment
indoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Radar and flight tracking systems (STARS, ERAM)
- ▸FAA air traffic control procedures and phraseology
- ▸Weather radar interpretation (NEXRAD, PIREPs)
- ▸Conflict detection and resolution
- ▸Strip marking and flight progress tracking
- ▸Airport surface movement guidance (ASDE-X)
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Extreme focus and concentration
- ▸Quick decision-making under pressure
- ▸Clear verbal communication
- ▸Stress tolerance
- ▸Spatial awareness
Learn the skills
Courses and certifications to get you job-ready
FAA air traffic control procedures and phraseology
What you'll actually do
- 01Stare at a radar screen for 8 hours knowing that one mistake means CNN leads with your name
- 02Talk to pilots who think 'hold short' is a suggestion
- 03Separate aircraft by precise distances while managing 20+ planes in your sector simultaneously
- 04Make split-second decisions during weather diversions when every airport is full
- 05Maintain focus during overnight shifts when your body is screaming for sleep but planes don't stop flying
- 06Take mandatory breaks because the FAA knows this job will break you if you don't step away
Related Shifts
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