Air Traffic Controller.
Raleigh.
$127,000
median salary, 1% below the national average
$91,000 to $170,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
Raleigh is 1% cheaper than the national average. For Air Traffic Controllers, that shakes out to a median of $127,000, with the full range spanning $91,000 to $170,000. Facility level is the dominant factor, with controllers at high-traffic terminals and en-route centers earning significantly more than those at smaller towers. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
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How Raleigh compares
Raleigh, NC
$127,000
Cost of living: 1% below average
National Average
$128,000
Raleigh is $1,000 below
What you should know
Here is what the Air Traffic Controller market actually looks like in Raleigh. Raleigh sits at the heart of the Research Triangle, one of America's premier tech and life sciences corridors. Cisco, Red Hat, Epic Games, and numerous biotech firms drive strong demand for engineering, research, and product roles. The combination of top tier universities and moderate living costs creates an exceptionally favorable salary to expense ratio. Facility level is the dominant factor, with controllers at high-traffic terminals and en-route centers earning significantly more than those at smaller towers. Geographic locality pay adjustments and overtime availability also create meaningful variance across positions.
Trainees at the FAA Academy earn $40,000 to $55,000. Certified professional controllers at lower-level facilities make $92,000 to $110,000. Moving to a high-level facility pushes pay to $140,000 to $172,000, with supervisory roles reaching $180,000 or more. In Raleigh, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Federal controllers receive FERS retirement, Thrift Savings Plan matching up to 5%, and locality-adjusted pay. Premium pay for night shifts, holidays, and overtime can add 10 to 25% above base salary. And on the tax side: north Carolina's flat 4.5% income tax keeps the burden low. Raleigh has no city income tax, and the Triangle's affordable housing amplifies your take home purchasing power. When someone quotes you $127,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Cite Research Triangle talent competition in your negotiation. Employers here compete directly with each other and with remote offers, creating favorable leverage for candidates. The range for Air Traffic Controllers in Raleigh runs from $91,000 to $170,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Top industries in Raleigh
Negotiating in Raleigh
Cite Research Triangle talent competition in your negotiation. Employers here compete directly with each other and with remote offers, creating favorable leverage for candidates.