The shortage of US air traffic controller is even worse during the government’s closure – but employment candidates can earn $ 145,000 per year

The country’s airports – from Newark and Phoenix to Denver and Los Angeles – all have endowment problems. In California, Hollywood Burbank airport had no air traffic controllers in its 4:15 p.m. tower on Monday when it was struggling with the problem. About 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 transport security officers (ASD) had to go to work, although it was not paid. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said air traffic staff has been reduced by 50% in certain regions since the government’s start to closure last week.

The judgment only exacerbates a shortage of air traffic controller with which America is underway. As of May 7, only two of the 313 US airports reached endowment objectives set out by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This problem climbs on the heels of the American Airlines tragedy which occurred in February, when a jet of passengers collided with an army helicopter just outside the national airport of Reagan Washington, killing the 67 people involved.

There are some key reasons on the reasons why there are not enough workers on call: expensive and time -consuming training, high disabilities in the coaching phases. But for those who hold in the field, there are several advantages. When payroll checks arrive, air traffic controllers earn an average of $ 145,000 per year, and the workforce increases on the labor market while the travel industry continues to prosper.

Why there is a shortage of air traffic controller in the United States

At the beginning of this year, around 91%, or 285 of the 313 American air traffic control installations, operated below the levels of personnel recommended by the FAA, according to the union data representing the controllers. Worse: 73 of these locations, at least a quarter of the workforce was missing. Operations in New York and Long Island were particularly in a hurry for staff members.

Aerial security experts have connected the shortage of personnel among air traffic controllers with a high number of “almost” wicks “or planes hit almost. There were approximately 1,757 of these “track incursions” in 2024, when there is an incorrect presence or position of plan or person on the track. Certain fingers pointed at Trump’s anti-DEI position to worsen the gap of work, which in theory could dissuade or limit the pool of candidates. But it was a problem long before he took office.

Air traffic control has always been a under-effective profession. Experts highlight some factors, but many argue that the friction lies in the integration process. The formation of a new air traffic controller can take 16 months, as at Reagan national airport in several years. And when the pandemic struck, many employers have interrupted the coaching process. Meanwhile, many older controllers have also been retired.

The training of new air traffic controllers is not cheap or easy either. Former Inspector General of the Ministry of Transport, Mary Schiavo, said that the preparation and preparation of these workers is extremely expensive. And for some who integrate, work is more exhausting than expected.

“It takes a lot of time to lead to an air traffic controller,” said Schiavo to CNN Earlier this year. “It’s very expensive. And about a third of them are washing because it is very rigorous. ”

The career lifespan of an air traffic controller is also limited. In the United States, controllers must retire at the age of 56. For this reason, the FAA wants fresh meat; He does not want to hire anyone over the age of 31, so that employees have 25 long years of work.

As the American workforce is aging, generation Z will have to intervene as the next cohort of air traffic controllers. Anyone who can last in the difficult industry will harvest a comfortable six -digit salary and have decent employment security.

Air traffic controllers work hard but make six figures

Being an air traffic controller is not a walk in the park. Workers describe long hours of work to fill planning gaps, unrealized mental health problems and unpredictable quarter patterns.

There is an advantage in this role: financial stability. Air traffic controllers earn an average of $ 144,580 per year, according to a 2024 report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But the path to this six -digit salary is not easy.

The work does not require several degrees. The typical level of education to be an air traffic controller is a diploma in a partner, according to the BLS. And although the work work is not essential, entry -level employees must spend months at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City for compulsory training. After that, two to three years of experience in class and during the job are necessary before receiving a controller certification.

Applicants must also adapt to other qualifications. To be considered an air traffic controller, candidates must be American citizens under the age of 31, erase both a medical examination and a safety survey, take the pre-employment tests of the FAA air traffic, have a decent mastery of English and three years of “gradually” responsible “and / or a baccalaureate work. The FAA indicates that less than 10% of candidates meet these criteria and are accepted in the training program.

For those who cut, their career prospects are positive. The profession should increase by 3% between 2023 and 2033, with 2,200 new openings projected each year, according to BLS data. And while Americans continue to engage in travel, more and more aeronautical staff will be necessary to lead the growing holiday industry.

A version of this story originally published on Fortune.com on February 4, 2025.

Global Forum fortune returns on October 26 to 27, 2025 in Riyadh. CEOs and world leaders will meet for a dynamic event only invitation that shapes the future of business. Request an invitation.