{
  "version": 1,
  "title": "U.S. Air Traffic Controller Statistics: Workforce, Hiring, Pay and Training",
  "description": "FAA staffing and hiring figures, BLS pay and employment estimates, and training context, with original sources and downloadable data.",
  "path": "/data/air-traffic-control",
  "published": "2026-09-12",
  "checked": "2026-09-12",
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "faa-2026",
      "publisher": "Federal Aviation Administration",
      "shortName": "FAA · 2026 workforce plan",
      "title": "Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan 2026–2028",
      "url": "https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/Air-Traffic-Controller-Workforce-Plan-2026-2028_0.pdf",
      "landingUrl": "https://www.faa.gov/about/plansreports/congress/air-traffic-controller-workforce-plan-2026-2028",
      "published": "2026-06-01",
      "checked": "2026-09-12",
      "note": "FY2025 actual results and FY2026–2028 plans. Printed page 5 is PDF page 6; printed page 2 is PDF page 3."
    },
    {
      "id": "faa-2025",
      "publisher": "Federal Aviation Administration",
      "shortName": "FAA · 2025 workforce plan",
      "title": "Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan 2025–2028",
      "url": "https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/fy25-air-traffic-controller-workforce-plan_0.pdf",
      "landingUrl": "https://www.faa.gov/about/plans_reports/congress/air-traffic-controller-workforce-plan-2025-2028",
      "published": "2025-08-21",
      "checked": "2026-09-12",
      "note": "Used only for FY2024 actuals and its FY2024 hiring target. Onboard snapshot: September 21, 2024. Figure 2.2 reports 11,686 CPC + CPC-IT; the appendix accounts for three controllers on detail in addition to 11,683 at facilities."
    },
    {
      "id": "bls-ooh",
      "publisher": "U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics",
      "shortName": "BLS · Occupational Outlook Handbook",
      "title": "Air Traffic Controllers — Occupational Outlook Handbook",
      "url": "https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/air-traffic-controllers.htm",
      "checked": "2026-09-12",
      "note": "May 2025 wages and 2025–2035 employment projections for occupation 53-2021. BLS occupational estimates and FAA administrative headcounts have different coverage."
    },
    {
      "id": "faa-hiring",
      "publisher": "Federal Aviation Administration",
      "shortName": "FAA · ATC recruitment",
      "title": "Safe Skies. Strong Careers. We're Hiring Air Traffic Controllers.",
      "url": "https://www.faa.gov/atc-hiring",
      "checked": "2026-09-12",
      "note": "Recruitment-page figures as checked, including Academy hourly pay and the advertised facility-training range. Check the applicable vacancy announcement for current terms."
    }
  ],
  "staffingSeries": [
    {
      "year": 2024,
      "status": "actual",
      "total": 14264,
      "cpcAndCpcIt": 11686,
      "sourceId": "faa-2025",
      "locator": "Figure 2.2, p. 10; appendix, p. 36",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=10"
    },
    {
      "year": 2025,
      "status": "actual",
      "total": 14832,
      "cpcAndCpcIt": 11695,
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Figure 1.3, printed p. 5; CPC + CPC-IT = 10,694 + 1,001",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=6"
    },
    {
      "year": 2026,
      "status": "forecast",
      "total": 15321,
      "cpcAndCpcIt": 11996,
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Figure 1.3, printed p. 5; CPC + CPC-IT = 10,968 + 1,028",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=6"
    },
    {
      "year": 2027,
      "status": "forecast",
      "total": 15868,
      "cpcAndCpcIt": 12177,
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Figure 1.3, printed p. 5; CPC + CPC-IT = 11,134 + 1,043",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=6"
    },
    {
      "year": 2028,
      "status": "forecast",
      "total": 16425,
      "cpcAndCpcIt": 12372,
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Figure 1.3, printed p. 5; CPC + CPC-IT = 11,312 + 1,060",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=6"
    }
  ],
  "hiringSeries": [
    {
      "year": 2024,
      "actual": 1811,
      "target": 1800,
      "sourceId": "faa-2025",
      "locator": "FY2024 recap, p. 4; hiring profile, p. 23",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=4"
    },
    {
      "year": 2025,
      "actual": 2028,
      "target": 2000,
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "FY2025 recap, printed p. 2",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=3"
    },
    {
      "year": 2026,
      "actual": null,
      "target": 2200,
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Executive summary, printed pp. 2–3",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=3"
    },
    {
      "year": 2027,
      "actual": null,
      "target": 2300,
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Executive summary, printed pp. 2–3",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=3"
    },
    {
      "year": 2028,
      "actual": null,
      "target": 2400,
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Executive summary, printed pp. 2–3",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=3"
    }
  ],
  "facts": [
    {
      "id": "faa-workforce",
      "group": "workforce",
      "label": "Total FAA controller workforce",
      "value": 14832,
      "unit": "people",
      "period": "End of FY2025",
      "kind": "Actual",
      "population": "FAA controller workforce, including Academy students",
      "note": "Includes CPCs, CPCs in training at a new facility, entry/developmental controllers, and Academy students. It is not a count of fully certified controllers.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Figure 1.3, printed p. 5",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=6"
    },
    {
      "id": "faa-cpc",
      "group": "workforce",
      "label": "Certified Professional Controllers (CPCs)",
      "value": 10694,
      "unit": "people",
      "period": "End of FY2025",
      "kind": "Actual",
      "population": "FAA Certified Professional Controllers",
      "note": "The fully certified category in the FAA's workforce breakdown; CPCs in training at a new facility are listed separately.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Figure 1.3, printed p. 5",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=6"
    },
    {
      "id": "faa-cpc-it",
      "group": "workforce",
      "label": "Previously certified controllers in facility training",
      "value": 1001,
      "unit": "people",
      "period": "End of FY2025",
      "kind": "Actual",
      "population": "FAA Certified Professional Controllers In-Training (CPC-ITs)",
      "note": "These controllers were certified at a previous facility and are completing training at another. They are not first-time controller trainees.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Figure 1.3, printed p. 5; staffing model, printed p. 8",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=6"
    },
    {
      "id": "faa-developmentals",
      "group": "workforce",
      "label": "Entry-level and developmental controllers",
      "value": 2529,
      "unit": "people",
      "period": "End of FY2025",
      "kind": "Actual",
      "population": "FAA AG/developmental controllers",
      "note": "Controllers progressing through facility training. The FAA labels this category AG/Devs and counts Academy students separately.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Figure 1.3, printed p. 5",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=6"
    },
    {
      "id": "faa-academy",
      "group": "workforce",
      "label": "FAA Academy students",
      "value": 608,
      "unit": "people",
      "period": "End of FY2025",
      "kind": "Actual",
      "population": "FAA Academy controller students in the workforce snapshot",
      "note": "A point-in-time student count. This does not measure annual Academy enrollment or graduation throughput.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Figure 1.3, printed p. 5",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=6"
    },
    {
      "id": "faa-net-growth",
      "group": "workforce",
      "label": "Net workforce increase",
      "value": 568,
      "unit": "people",
      "period": "FY2025",
      "kind": "Actual",
      "population": "Change in total FAA controller workforce",
      "note": "The FAA reports this net increase after all workforce losses. It does not mean that the same number of controllers became fully certified during the year.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "FY2025 recap, printed p. 2",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=3"
    },
    {
      "id": "hires-2024",
      "group": "hiring",
      "label": "Controllers hired in FY2024",
      "value": 1811,
      "unit": "hires",
      "period": "FY2024",
      "kind": "Actual",
      "population": "FAA controller hires",
      "note": "Completed hires reported by the FAA for the fiscal year; applicants and Academy graduates are different measures.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2025",
      "locator": "FY2024 recap, p. 4",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=4"
    },
    {
      "id": "hires-2025",
      "group": "hiring",
      "label": "Controller trainees hired in FY2025",
      "value": 2028,
      "unit": "hires",
      "period": "FY2025",
      "kind": "Actual",
      "population": "FAA controller trainee hires",
      "note": "Completed hires. The FAA reports that this exceeded its hiring target and was its largest intake since 2008.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "FY2025 recap, printed p. 2",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=3"
    },
    {
      "id": "hiring-target-2026",
      "group": "hiring",
      "label": "FY2026 hiring target",
      "value": 2200,
      "unit": "hires",
      "period": "FY2026",
      "kind": "Target",
      "population": "Planned FAA controller hires",
      "note": "An annual hiring goal in the June 2026 workforce plan. It is not a count of completed hires or currently advertised jobs.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Executive summary, printed pp. 2–3",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=3"
    },
    {
      "id": "hiring-target-2027",
      "group": "hiring",
      "label": "FY2027 hiring target",
      "value": 2300,
      "unit": "hires",
      "period": "FY2027",
      "kind": "Target",
      "population": "Planned FAA controller hires",
      "note": "A future hiring goal in the June 2026 plan, subject to appropriations and implementation.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Executive summary, printed pp. 2–3",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=3"
    },
    {
      "id": "hiring-target-2028",
      "group": "hiring",
      "label": "FY2028 hiring target",
      "value": 2400,
      "unit": "hires",
      "period": "FY2028",
      "kind": "Target",
      "population": "Planned FAA controller hires",
      "note": "A future hiring goal in the June 2026 plan, subject to appropriations and implementation.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "Executive summary, printed pp. 2–3",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=3"
    },
    {
      "id": "losses-2025",
      "group": "hiring",
      "label": "Losses from the controller workforce",
      "value": 1460,
      "unit": "people",
      "period": "FY2025",
      "kind": "Actual",
      "population": "FAA controller workforce losses",
      "note": "Includes Academy and developmental attrition, retirements, resignations, promotions, and other separations. This is broader than retirement alone.",
      "sourceId": "faa-2026",
      "locator": "FY2025 recap, printed p. 2",
      "sourceFragment": "#page=3"
    },
    {
      "id": "academy-pay",
      "group": "pay",
      "label": "Advertised Academy starting pay",
      "value": 22.61,
      "unit": "USD/hour",
      "period": "Recruitment page checked September 12, 2026",
      "kind": "Published rate",
      "population": "FAA Academy trainees covered by the recruitment page",
      "note": "Hourly training pay advertised by the FAA. Confirm pay and allowances in the applicable vacancy and offer; this is not certified-controller pay.",
      "sourceId": "faa-hiring",
      "locator": "Paid Academy Training",
      "sourceFragment": ""
    },
    {
      "id": "median-pay",
      "group": "pay",
      "label": "Median annual controller wage",
      "value": 148080,
      "unit": "USD/year",
      "period": "May 2025",
      "kind": "Estimate",
      "population": "U.S. air traffic controller occupation, SOC 53-2021",
      "note": "Half of workers earned more and half earned less. An occupational median describes the workforce; it is not an entry salary or a guaranteed offer.",
      "sourceId": "bls-ooh",
      "locator": "Pay",
      "sourceFragment": "#tab-5"
    },
    {
      "id": "lower-pay",
      "group": "pay",
      "label": "Lower tenth wage threshold",
      "value": 78420,
      "unit": "USD/year",
      "period": "May 2025",
      "kind": "Estimate",
      "population": "U.S. air traffic controller occupation, SOC 53-2021",
      "note": "The lowest-paid 10% earned less than this amount. It is not a minimum salary or a trainee pay band.",
      "sourceId": "bls-ooh",
      "locator": "Pay",
      "sourceFragment": "#tab-5"
    },
    {
      "id": "upper-pay",
      "group": "pay",
      "label": "Upper tenth wage threshold",
      "value": 215610,
      "unit": "USD/year",
      "period": "May 2025",
      "kind": "Estimate",
      "population": "U.S. air traffic controller occupation, SOC 53-2021",
      "note": "The highest-paid 10% earned more than this amount. It is not a maximum salary or an expected starting wage.",
      "sourceId": "bls-ooh",
      "locator": "Pay",
      "sourceFragment": "#tab-5"
    },
    {
      "id": "bls-employment",
      "group": "outlook",
      "label": "U.S. controller employment",
      "value": 24000,
      "unit": "jobs",
      "period": "2025",
      "kind": "Estimate",
      "population": "U.S. air traffic controller occupation, SOC 53-2021",
      "note": "A rounded BLS occupational estimate with different coverage from the FAA administrative workforce count. Do not combine the two as a single time series.",
      "sourceId": "bls-ooh",
      "locator": "Work Environment; Employment projections table",
      "sourceFragment": "#tab-3"
    },
    {
      "id": "annual-openings",
      "group": "outlook",
      "label": "Projected annual openings",
      "value": 2100,
      "unit": "openings/year",
      "period": "Average over 2025–2035",
      "kind": "Projection",
      "population": "U.S. air traffic controller occupation, SOC 53-2021",
      "note": "Includes replacement needs when workers leave the occupation. This is a decade-average projection, not a live job count or an FAA hiring announcement.",
      "sourceId": "bls-ooh",
      "locator": "Job Outlook",
      "sourceFragment": "#tab-6"
    },
    {
      "id": "employment-growth",
      "group": "outlook",
      "label": "Projected employment growth",
      "value": 2,
      "unit": "percent",
      "period": "2025–2035",
      "kind": "Projection",
      "population": "U.S. air traffic controller occupation, SOC 53-2021",
      "note": "BLS's rounded projection of net growth across the decade. Replacement openings can be substantial even when net employment changes little.",
      "sourceId": "bls-ooh",
      "locator": "Job Outlook",
      "sourceFragment": "#tab-6"
    },
    {
      "id": "facility-training",
      "group": "training",
      "label": "Advertised facility-training range",
      "value": "1–3",
      "unit": "years",
      "period": "Recruitment page checked September 12, 2026",
      "kind": "Published guidance",
      "population": "FAA Academy graduates progressing toward CPC certification",
      "note": "The FAA recruitment page gives this range for on-the-job experience after Academy graduation. It excludes application processing and Academy time; individual timelines vary.",
      "sourceId": "faa-hiring",
      "locator": "Phase 05 — On-the-Job Experience",
      "sourceFragment": ""
    }
  ]
}