AboutDacus T. Grant Expertise Air Traffic Controller careers. I am an Air Traffic Controller at Atlanta ARTCC. I will be able to answer questions concerning Air Traffic Controller qualifications, Job satisfaction, Job Requirements, En Route Job locations, Training requirements, working conditions, etc. 21 years as an Air Traffic Controller at Memphis and Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC)
Question I am a senior aviation student at the University of Oklahoma and currently enrolled in the CTI program here. I have one more semester left(in the fall) before i graduate and i am just trying to check all my options. I've been going over several ATC message boards talking about the terrible pay and working hours with the new contract the ATC system is under. I was just wondering what the different salaries i could expect along my career if i decide to go the ATC route. I would like to do enroute or a large tracon. With the new pay scales what can i expect to make, at OKC in training, first year at a facility, after getting fully checked out and finally say 5 to 10 years down the road. And how long does it take to be fully checked out at a position. Thank you and any answers will be appreciated.
Answer Dear Grayson,
In the enroute or large tracon option, I think that you would be making about $100,000 after the first 3 years. Check out varies by facility and can be between two and four years, depending on how much time you have to wait between stages of training. Go to the FAA website https://employees.faa.gov/employee_services/pay_perf/pay/ and look under the various tabs for the pay. Each stage of training represents a different pay and usually the pay jump is about 10,000 per promotion. If you have any questions you can email me at dacus@iwon.com.
Good Luck.
p.s. Take the ATSAT as soon as you can. You do not have to finish your degree to get hired, but you have to pass the ATSAT.
