Air Traffic Controller
CIP Code: 49.0105A air traffic controller degree prepares graduates for careers in Air traffic controllers, Airfield operations specialists. 19 colleges and universities offer this program.
Air Traffic Controller Salary by College
Nationally, bachelor’s graduates in this field earn a median $85,825 four years after graduating (middle half: $61,701–$118,209). Where you study it matters: across 52 colleges with reported results, pay ranges from $57,665 to $106,001.
Sort by:
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | 1 yr after | Median debt | Outcome Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT | $106,001 | $100,464 | $56,402 | $21,504 | B+ |
| 2 | University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND | $104,472 | $108,236 | $46,193 | $21,500 | B+ |
| 3 | Utah State University Logan, UT | $103,989 | $98,557 | $33,142 | $25,000 | C |
| 4 | Minnesota State University-Mankato Mankato, MN | $103,858 | $99,207 | $45,193 | $19,500 | C |
| 5 | Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus Portales, NM | $103,617 | $119,972 | $88,085 | $17,000 | F |
| 6 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA | $102,096 | $92,968 | $50,629 | $22,420 | F |
| 12 | Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, OH | $99,701 | $106,396 | — | $22,067 | B |
| 11 | Ohio University-Main Campus Athens, OH | $99,701 | $106,396 | — | $22,067 | C+ |
| 10 | Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, OH | $99,701 | $106,396 | — | $22,067 | C |
| 9 | Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, OH | $99,701 | $106,396 | — | $22,067 | B |
| 8 | Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, OH | $99,701 | $106,396 | — | $22,067 | B |
| 7 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH | $99,701 | $106,396 | — | $22,067 | C |
| 13 | Middle Georgia State University Macon, GA | $93,627 | $96,923 | $41,028 | $19,500 | F |
| 14 | Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI | $91,648 | $96,632 | $40,846 | $29,591 | C |
| 15 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OK | $91,081 | $102,262 | $38,652 | $20,500 | A |
| 18 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide Daytona Beach, FL | $90,495 | $96,320 | $54,827 | $23,250 | B |
| 17 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL | $90,495 | $96,320 | $54,827 | $23,250 | A |
| 16 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott Prescott, AZ | $90,495 | $92,985 | $54,827 | $23,250 | A |
| 19 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI | $89,564 | $94,435 | $34,872 | $25,500 | C+ |
| 20 | Lewis University Romeoville, IL | $87,197 | $85,670 | $39,228 | $25,000 | B+ |
| 21 | Everglades University Boca Raton, FL | $86,730 | $92,313 | $53,331 | $34,329 | C+ |
| 22 | Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN | $86,161 | $92,435 | $45,190 | $19,500 | A+ |
| 23 | University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA | $86,081 | $90,547 | $37,362 | $25,375 | C |
| 24 | Kansas State University Manhattan, KS | $85,147 | $88,396 | $51,198 | $20,500 | B |
| 25 | Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO | $83,903 | $89,962 | $44,459 | $27,000 | A |
| 26 | Westminster University Salt Lake City, UT | $83,574 | $79,208 | $42,917 | — | B |
| 27 | Louisiana Tech University Ruston, LA | $83,323 | $96,453 | $35,669 | $20,385 | B |
| 28 | Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL | $83,243 | $88,602 | $47,019 | $27,000 | D |
| 29 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL | $81,394 | $79,969 | $44,063 | $18,750 | C |
| 30 | University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage, AK | $80,981 | $77,553 | $40,796 | $25,142 | D |
| 31 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN | $80,424 | $87,855 | $43,909 | $20,500 | C |
| 32 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ | $79,821 | $82,017 | $44,481 | $21,375 | B+ |
| 33 | LeTourneau University Longview, TX | $79,277 | $80,601 | $38,205 | $26,000 | C+ |
| 34 | Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH | $79,114 | $84,426 | $40,102 | $21,731 | A |
| 35 | University of North Texas Denton, TX | $78,166 | $79,472 | $56,487 | $23,573 | C+ |
| 36 | Rocky Mountain College Billings, MT | $77,374 | $84,519 | $41,588 | $25,798 | C |
| 37 | Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology Flushing, NY | $76,979 | $73,268 | $32,591 | $23,500 | B+ |
| 38 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH | $76,501 | $81,638 | $40,876 | $23,711 | D |
| 39 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH | $75,845 | $80,938 | $33,172 | $21,500 | C |
| 40 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater, OK | $75,469 | $84,734 | $45,682 | $18,625 | B+ |
| 41 | University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE | $75,314 | $77,840 | $42,837 | $21,000 | C |
| 42 | Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA | $74,997 | $68,981 | $40,025 | $20,000 | C+ |
| 43 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO | $72,846 | $68,125 | $43,922 | $23,556 | F |
| 44 | California Baptist University Riverside, CA | $72,629 | $66,088 | $48,989 | — | C+ |
| 45 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY | $72,195 | $68,715 | $41,960 | $18,000 | B+ |
| 46 | Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN | $71,254 | $76,442 | $40,112 | $23,480 | D |
| 47 | California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | $70,508 | $64,158 | $46,267 | $14,914 | C |
| 48 | Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA | $70,215 | $61,832 | $43,171 | $25,000 | D |
| 49 | Texas A&M University-Central Texas Killeen, TX | $70,147 | $71,319 | — | — | — |
| 50 | Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY | $66,943 | $75,800 | $35,625 | $23,781 | C+ |
| 51 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne, MD | $62,080 | $54,482 | $27,154 | $26,500 | F |
| 52 | CUNY York College Jamaica, NY | $57,665 | $54,885 | $30,349 | — | D |
Bachelor’s degrees. Wage-adjusted = pay ÷ √(state wage index). Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data.
What Can You Do With a Air Traffic Controller Degree?
Graduates with this degree pursue careers in the following fields:
Best Colleges for Air Traffic Controller
Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees awarded. These are the top-rated colleges that produce the most graduates in air traffic controller.
| # | College | Location | Degrees Awarded | Repit Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tulsa Technology Center | Tulsa, OK | 29 | B |
| 2 | Florida Institute of Technology | Melbourne, FL | 25 | C+ |
Largest Air Traffic Controller Programs
Schools ranked by number of graduates. These institutions produce the most air traffic controller graduates annually, including online and distance learning programs.
| # | College | Location | Degrees Awarded | Repit Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tulsa Technology Center | Tulsa, OK | 29 | B |
| 2 | Florida Institute of Technology | Melbourne, FL | 25 | C+ |
About Air Traffic Controller
Air Traffic Controller is a degree program offered at 19 colleges and universities across the United States. Each year, approximately 189 students graduate with this degree.
Graduates with this degree can pursue careers such as air traffic controllers, airfield operations specialists.