FAA chief ‘concerned’ about hiring enough air traffic controllers. Here are 9 things to know before applying to the stressful but high-paying job.

• FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker is “concerned” about air-traffic-control staffing levels.
• The job is high-stress with challenges like fatigue but the average annual salary is six figures.
• Controllers must undergo rigorous training and testing and have mandatory retirement at age 56.

Being an air traffic controller is an extremely high-stress job, with workers responsible for the movement of thousands of lives on board planes across the country every day.

The Federal Aviation Administration employs over 13,000 controllers who operate out of some 700 facilities across the US and manage an average of 45,000 flights per day. These employees handle everything from jumbo airliners to tiny prop planes.

For a lot of people, becoming a controller is a dream job, but getting there is not easy and must be done through specific channels, like applying to the FAA’s periodic job openings or joining the military. Moreover, FAA applicants must be 30 or younger, with few exceptions.

However, Politico reported in September that FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said the agency is struggling to find workers —  a reality that has been impacting the profession for years. Stressors like staffing shortages and fatigue have been further heightened by the string of aircraft near-misses at US airports this year and last.

“We’re seeing lower numbers than we did before,” Whitaker said during the Global Aerospace Summit hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce. “I’m a little concerned about the long term. We’re trying to cast as wide a net as we can to bring people into the profession. It really is a great profession, but it is a steep learning curve.”

CNN reported in May 2024 that the FAA was about 3,000 controllers short. Whitaker said that the agency needs another 18 months to reach its desired staffing levels, with goals to hire 1,800 new controllers in 2024 and 2,000 in 2025.

Still, the agency hopes funding from the FAA Reauthorization bill signed in May and continued recruitment efforts will boost training and hiring, enhance safety, and reduce shortage-caused flight disruptions.

Successful applicants who apply through the FAA must undergo months of extensive training and pass mandatory tests, such as an aptitude test, a skills assessment, and physical and psychological exams, before being officially hired. 

While the salary, which averages $127,805 a year, and the benefits of working for the federal government may be enticing, becoming an air traffic controller can be a high-stress and busy job, so interested applicants should understand what to expect before diving in.

Business Insider spoke with FAA controller Cedrick Earley to discuss what it is like to work the job. Here are nine things you should know before applying to become an air traffic controller.

You don’t need a college degree to work in ATC

For people looking for a high-salary job that doesn’t require a college degree, ATC is a good option.

An FAA spokesperson told BI the agency posts ATC jobs throughout the year based on the organization’s hiring goal and the number of applicants currently in the pipeline, among other factors. There are two types of job postings: “experienced hire,” which is open at the beginning of the year, and “off-the-street,” which is posted in the summer months. However, additional openings are posted as needed.

For example, Earley works in the Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility, or TRACON, in Memphis and is responsible for controlling aircraft leaving the airport for their next destination and directing flights into the airport for a quick and safe landing. 

Employees can also work in one of the 22 air route traffic control centers, or ARTCCs, throughout the US, which direct aircraft en route to their destinations.

The work can be high-stress and sometimes boring

Being an air traffic controller can be stressful due to the heavy workload and high-consequence environment. However, depending on how busy the skies are, the job can also be dull and boring.

Former air traffic controller Michele Robson wrote in 2020 that the job can be quiet at night, but controllers must always be alert and ready to work at any hour on shift.

While some controllers find the job extremely stressful, Earley said that isn’t the case for him because he enjoys the “challenge of coming in every day to a new puzzle.” However, he admitted that that work keeps him on his toes.

“Controllers are always learning on the job, like updating and refining the processes, or learning new rules and procedures,” he explained. “It is a job where you always have to change and adapt.” 

Safety is the top priority

Air traffic controllers are responsible for thousands of lives every day, so safety is the most important aspect of the job. An increasing number of planes colliding or nearly colliding has further enhanced FAA training and system improvements across airports and ATC facilities.

According to Earley, there are several things controllers do to ensure nothing is missed.

“I work in front of a radar scope, and it can get busy at times, so I am not supposed to work in position more than two hours at a time, so we get a break to keep us refreshed,” he said. “We also do not work more than 10 hours in one day, and there is a certain amount of hours we have to be off before we can work again.”

The FAA recently passed new rules, effective 2025, that would minimize controller fatigue by raising the minimum rest time between shifts from at least nine hours to at least 10 hours. Controllers get 12 hours off before and after midnight shifts.

Earley also explained that there are redundancies in the job to elevate safety.

“Everyone is actually able to see what is going on with any particular person’s work at the time, so it is one team, one fight,” he said. “If we notice something is a little out of sorts, we can bring that to the controller’s attention, and they can fix it before it becomes a bigger problem. We always monitor and police each other, and there are also supervisors in the room that oversee the entire operation.”

The salary is good, but the work schedule can be inconsistent

Working for the federal government comes with a good salary, paid leave, and health insurance. According to the FAA, the average annual salary for a controller is $127,805, which increases with seniority.

Earley explained that the salary and benefits provide a good work-life balance.

“It’s a job that pays me well and allows me to support my family,” he said. “I’m also able to take leisure time for myself, like spending time with my daughter.”

However, he also said his schedule is not the regular 9-5.

“I do have some shifts I work from midnight to 8 a.m., as well as some scattered 12-8 shifts, so it rotates,” he said. “I always know what my hours are each day, but it is not always at the same time. It is consistently inconsistent.”

You know your schedule for the entire year

According to Earley, air traffic controllers know their work schedule a year in advance.

“When we set our schedules up, we bid what we want for the next year, and then we are awarded our full schedule for the year,” he said. “It helps in terms of planning our leave.”

He also explained that the schedule is only for one year, and controllers can change it the following year.

You can retire at 56

All air traffic controllers must retire at 56 due to the higher possibility of memory or hearing loss, inattentiveness, or reduced eyesight in older individuals, according to the agency.

However, the 56 age cut-off only applies to those actively working traffic, so controllers who are not yet ready to retire can take a desk or management job instead, according to Early.