How Much Do Air Traffic Controllers Make in California?
Median wage from BLS May 2025 — and the after-tax number the salary sites skip. Tax year 2026.
Quick answer
According to payandtaxes.com's analysis of BLS May 2025 data and 2026 tax law, the median Air Traffic Controllers in California earns $160,080 per year and takes home $110,023 ($9,169/month) — a keep-rate of 68.7%, with 2,290 employed in the state.
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| Gross pay | $13,340.00 |
| Federal income tax | $2,262.76 |
| Social Security | $827.08 |
| Medicare | $193.43 |
| California state income tax | $888.16 |
| You keep | $9,168.58 |
How much do Air Traffic Controllers make in California?
The median Air Traffic Controllers in California earns $160,080 per year (BLS May 2025), about $76.96 per hour.
What is that after taxes?
$160,080 gross in California keeps $110,023 after federal income tax ($27,153), FICA ($12,246) and state income tax ($10,658) — $9,169 per month, a 68.7% keep-rate.
How does California compare to the national median for Air Traffic Controllers?
The California median is $12,000 above the national median of $148,080.
Which state pays Air Traffic Controllers the most?
Virginia has the highest median gross for Air Traffic Controllers at $191,820 — but compare take-home, not gross: state taxes change the order.
Air Traffic Controllers salary in every state · California paycheck calculator · California minimum wage