Air Traffic Controller.
Las Vegas.
$124,000
median salary, 3% below the national average
$89,000 to $167,000. Last updated August 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating an Air Traffic Controller offer in Las Vegas, NV, here is the reality: $89,000 to $167,000, with $124,000 as the midpoint. 3% below the national average. Facility level is the dominant factor, with controllers at high-traffic terminals and en-route centers earning significantly more than those at smaller towers. Do not accept the first number. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Air Traffic Controller in Las Vegas, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $155,500 for Air Traffic Controllers (SOC 53-2021) in the Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV metropolitan area, based on 170 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$96,030
25th percentile
$120,120
Median
$155,500
75th percentile
$182,250
90th percentile
$200,160
Workers surveyed
170
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Air Traffic Controllers (SOC 53-2021) rather than Air Traffic Controller specifically. The Las Vegas range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 53-2021Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $111,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$81,000
to $99,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$105,000
to $130,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$136,000
to $161,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$155,000
to $192,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $25,000 to the total package.
Base
$124,000
Equity
$14,000
Bonus
$9,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $149,000
How Las Vegas compares.
Las Vegas, NV
$124,000
Cost of living: 4% below average
National Average
$128,000
Las Vegas is $4,000 below
Air Traffic Controller salary by city.
Salary by role in Las Vegas.
What you should know.
Here is what the Air Traffic Controller market actually looks like in Las Vegas. Las Vegas has diversified well beyond gaming and tourism into technology, healthcare, and logistics. The city's no state income tax, affordable housing, and growing corporate presence have attracted major employers. Switch, the data center company, and a wave of tech relocations are expanding the local professional job market. 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 Las Vegas, 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: nevada has no state income tax and no city income tax. This makes Las Vegas one of the most tax friendly metros in the country for high earners. When someone quotes you $124,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Use the zero income tax advantage as a bargaining chip. Show employers that a Las Vegas salary goes 8 to 12% further than an equivalent salary in California. The range for Air Traffic Controllers in Las Vegas runs from $89,000 to $167,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
Air Traffic Controller salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Las Vegas.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Air Traffic Controller Salary in Las Vegas, NV." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/air-traffic-controller/las-vegas
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