Air traffic controllers must have quick instincts, sound judgment and the ability to maintain laser focus in a dark room for hours on end. Facing a persistent, years-long shortage of these workers, the Federal Aviation Administration has naturally turned to a talent pool with these very skills: Gamers.
While it may seem an unlikely pairing, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said gamers represent “a growing demographic of young adults who have many of the hard skills it takes to be a successful controller.” Gamers are skilled at multitasking, spatial awareness and problem-solving, according to the FAA, and controllers have cited gaming for their ability to “think quickly, stay focused and manage complexity.”
How to Get Hired as an Air Traffic Controller
The FAA is opening applications for air traffic controller positions starting Friday, April 17. Here’s what interested candidates need to know:
- Basic Requirements: Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens, under age 31 and fluent in English.
- Education: A college degree isn’t required, but prior aviation-focused training can be helpful.
- Screening Process: Applicants must pass a background check, medical exam, psychological evaluation, drug test and a 3.5-hour cognitive skills assessment.
- Training: Controllers must undergo several months of paid training at the FAA Academy, followed by 1-3 years of on-the-job training.
- Pay: Trainees typically earn about $22 an hour at the academy and certified controllers make about $155,000 a year on average, with top earners exceeding $200,000 depending on their location.
- How to Apply: Applicants are encouraged to apply early on USAJobs.gov.
This is not the FAA’s first attempt at recruiting gamers. In a video promoting its “Level Up” recruiting campaign in 2021, one controller said his job was similar to Call of Duty because “you’ve got to be aware of your surroundings” and “see out of the corner of your eye when another plane is coming.” Another controller likened his job to the game NBA 2K, saying that anticipating his opponents’ next move is similar to projecting the trajectory of an airplane. The FAA’s latest video is catching more buzz than ever, as it opens with the Xbox One logo and a montage of video game footage that fades into scenes of air traffic controllers monitoring radar and other flight data.
Air traffic controlling is a demanding profession, though, and the transition from gamer to controller is not as seamless as the video may make it seem. In this article, we’ll explain what it’s like to work as an air traffic controller, how much they make and how interested applicants can apply during the hiring window starting Friday, April 17.
Why Work as an Air Traffic Controller?
Air traffic controllers can earn a handsome salary, depending on their location and experience level. The average annual salary is $155,000 after three years, according to the FAA.
The training process is long, but participants who attend FAA Academy are paid $22.61 per hour and receive full health and housing benefits. Academy graduates then go on to the on-the-job training stage, where they earn between $55,000 to $68,000 per year, according to Business Insider. Once a controller is certified, they will typically make near or above six figures. The salary is highly dependent on the location and volume of the air traffic control facility. A fully-certified controller at Level 8 tower in Milwaukee can earn a base pay of up to $153,000, for example, while a controller at a Level 12 facility at Chicago’s O’Hare airport could earn up to $225,700.
Another perk: Air traffic controllers with 20 years of service are eligible to retire when they’re 50 years old — with full federal benefits. The mandated retirement age is 56, but air traffic controllers can apply for a waiver to continue working until they’re 61.
What Is It Like to Work as an Air Traffic Controller?
Air traffic controllers can perform one of three roles. Those who work in airport towers coordinate airplane takeoffs, landings and ground traffic. Controllers in Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities, meanwhile, communicate with pilots when they’re ascending after takeoff or descending before landing. Lastly, controllers in centralized en-route centers manage dozens of aircraft flying at cruising altitudes between airports.
The work can be stressful, particularly when there’s staffing shortages. And recurring government shutdowns have led to controllers working without pay — and covering extra shifts when their colleagues call out sick. Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, has said air traffic controllers often work 10 hours a day, six days a week.
How to Become an Air Traffic Controller
The FAA will open its annual air traffic control hiring window at midnight (Eastern Standard Time) on Friday, April 17. Applicants are encouraged to apply early on USAJobs.gov, as the hiring window will close once the FAA receives 8,000 applications.
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen under 31 years of age who speak fluent English. They need to pass a federal background check, a psychological evaluation, a medical exam and a drug test. They must also pass a 3.5 hour Air Traffic Skills Assessment that tests their cognitive skills. Accepted applicants will then undergo several months of paid training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. Those who graduate must gain one to three years of on-the-job experience to become a certified professional controller.
A college degree is not required to become an air traffic controller, but some people do obtain specialized college degrees through the Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative. Students who graduate from these programs are eligible to bypass the first five weeks of initial qualification training at the FAA Academy.
Inside the FAA’s Struggle to Recruit Air Traffic Controllers
Air traffic controllers are chronically understaffed, which leads to flight delays, and on rare occasions, accidents. Staffing shortages may have played a factor in the plane-helicopter crash that killed 67 people in Washington D.C. in January 2025. Similar concerns were raised in March 2026, when a fire truck crashed into an incoming jet at LaGuardia Airport, killing two people and injuring more than 40 others.
The FAA employs nearly 11,000 controllers, which is about 3,500 employees shy of its target staffing level, according to a workforce plan issued in 2025. Another 4,000 trainees are in the pipeline to become air traffic controllers, but many of those in the FAA Academy or on-the-job training programs may never become certified controllers. About 30 percent of students at FAA Academy “wash out” or fail the program, and only about half of an incoming academy cohort will go on to earn certification, according to Daniels.
Indeed, the FAA has struggled to onboard enough controllers to offset attrition from academy wash-outs, promotions, transfers, retirement and resignations. In 2024, for example, the FAA lost 1,400 controllers, with the most significant source being academy wash-outs. Duffy has pledged to “supercharge” the hiring process by increasing starting salaries by 30 percent, offering bonuses to those who complete training and incentivizing retirement-eligible controllers to stay on the job.
In its 2025 workforce development report, the FAA outlined a plan to hire at least 8,900 new air traffic controllers over the next four years. With more than 6,800 expected attritions, this staffing plan would net more than 2,000 controllers by the end of 2028. The FAA hit its hiring goals in fiscal year 2025 by hiring more than 2,000 controllers. As of April 2026, the agency has hired an additional 1,200 controllers, which is nearly halfway to its goal for fiscal year 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I apply to become an air traffic controller?
The FAA’s annual hiring window opens at midnight (EST) on Friday, April 17. You should apply as early as possible on USAJobs.gov, as the window closes once the agency receives 8,000 applications.
What are the qualification requirements for an air traffic controller?
To be eligible for an air traffic controller position, you must be a U.S. citizen under the age of 31 and speak fluent English. Applicants must pass a federal background check, a medical exam, a drug test, a psychological evaluation, and a 3.5-hour cognitive skills assessment. They must then graduate from the FAA Academy and complete one to three years of on-the-job training to earn their certification.
How much do air traffic controllers make?
Pay increases as you progress through training. While at the FAA Academy, you earn $22.61 per hour. During on-the-job training, salaries range from $55,000 to $68,000. Once fully certified, the average annual salary is $155,000.
Why is the FAA specifically looking for gamers?
The FAA and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have noted that gamers possess “hard skills” essential for the job, such as multitasking, spatial awareness and complex problem-solving. Controllers have likened the job to games like Call of Duty or NBA 2K because both require anticipating movements and maintaining awareness of one’s surroundings.
