Families / Operate

Air Traffic Controller

Sequences aircraft in real time with no margin for error. Selection is narrow and training washes many out.

Pay band (est.)
$120k–$185k
Time to competence
4 years
Licence
Required
Setting
desk
Leverage
low
Place constraint
high
Physical demand
15/100
Hours burden
72/100

Factor percentiles

Percentile against the whole curated set. Higher is better on that factor only.

  • Play27th

    Absorbing rather than merely paid.

  • Specific knowledge38th

    A combination of skills that is hard to copy.

  • Leverage14th

    Output that scales through code, media, capital or crew.

  • Demand79th

    Durability and shortage, scored conservatively.

  • Pay94th

    Mid-career floor and the range above it.

  • Body74th

    Inverse of physical demand and hours.

  • Autonomy9th

    Control of methods and time.

  • People fit97th

    Distance from your preferred people level.

  • Place flexibility1th

    Remote fit and freedom from specific metros.

  • Time to skill79th

    Inverse of years to competence.

  • Meaning load28th

    Care, craft and stewardship weight. Not a moral score.

  • Downside tolerance92th

    Inverse of named risk to body, market or platform.

Downside

Age caps on entry, mandatory retirement, sustained stress.

Examine this against your weights

The percentiles above use the default weights. Set your own on the ranking and this vocation moves with them.

Source note: BLS/FAA-style patterns; estimate. All figures are estimates for comparison.