Want to become an air traffic controller? You could now get a nice chunk of cash if you get hired.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Thursday the next step of the Trump Administration’s efforts to “supercharge” hiring and retention of controllers amid a national shortage.
It includes a limited-time offer of $5,000 each for new hires and Oklahoma academy graduates who pass initial training milestones. Another $10,000 per person will be offered to new controllers assigned to one of the 13 “harder-to-staff” air traffic facilities.
There’s also an incentive to retain staff. According to the Department of Transportation, controllers eligible to retire but are still under the mandatory retirement age of 56 can earn an extra 20% of their base pay for every year they continue to work.
Other initiatives to hasten the hiring process announced Thursday include new opportunities for veteran military controllers and accelerating medical and security clearances for candidates.
The DoT is also opening a new learning center to offer extra help to academy students. It said only an average of 57% to 73% of trainees graduate, but those who do can earn an average salary of $160,000.
A national air traffic controller shortage
The Federal Aviation Administration has been battling a controller shortage for years. The agency said in May 2024 that it was about 3,000 controllers short. Later that year, it said it had met its hiring goal of 1,800.
The shortage was thrust into the spotlight after a January midair collision over Washington, DC. A preliminary investigation found that the airport tower was understaffed at the time of the crash.
The problem has continued in other busy airspaces. On Monday, Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey experienced a breakdown in airline operations due to air traffic constraints, including too few controllers and an equipment outage, causing delays and cancellations.
The FAA aims to upgrade antiquated systems and hire 2,000 new controllers in 2025, the latter sped up by reducing the previous 8-step hiring process to five and boosting academy trainee pay by 30%.
Aspiring controllers don’t need a college degree but must be under the age of 31 and meet certain education, physical, and mental fitness requirements.
Since then, the agency said it has cut five months off the hiring timeline and sent more than 8,300 candidates to take the air traffic skills aptitude test to determine their admission to the academy.
“Less than 45 days after the announcement closed, one of the first applicants already has an Academy start date in early June,” acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said in a press release.
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