Scary info about pay scale

lvalley

New Member
Are there any current Trainees or controllers that can verify or discredit this information?

I just found this article from 08/2007 in Colorado, where they interviewed a spokesman for NATCA. http://www.csindy.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid:21174


The FAA saves money by paying trainees less, but maintains that doesn't affect its recruiting. Others tell a different story. According to Church, a new trainee makes around $10,000 over the first six to eight months.
"Many of them have to sleep on couches in people's garages," Church says. "That is having an effect on their ability to hold on to these people."
The average salary for a new hire in on-the-job training is $31,700, according to a Department of Transportation report. While the FAA says a fully trained controller will make an average of $50,000 after one year and $94,000 after five, Church says the figures are exaggerated.
"Fifty thousand dollars is the highest you could possibly make; it's not the average after one year," he says. "Same with this nonsense about $90,000 after five years. "We're talking about places like Fremont, Calif., where the cost of living is the highest in the country, or New York. We're not talking about Colorado Springs. It's propaganda to try to show that we're overpaid."


Also, from a controller :

Tim Davis has seen trainees struggling. Davis is a controller at Colorado Springs' air traffic control tower and a representative for NATCA. His facility has been flooded with trainees, but he doesn't expect all to finish the program. "I have two trainees who have to have a second job just to make ends meet," he says.
 
Well if you factor in the first four months at OKC where you make what? 12.50 an hour? That's around 8,000.00. So yeah, you make less while you're at training, but then add the 79.20 you get per diem every day. Just keeping it at 30 days per month for simplicity sake and that's another $9,504.00. It's supposed to be allocated for housing/food, but if you get cheap housing, then you keep the overage that you don't spend. Now your total goes from 8,000.00 for four months to 17,504.00. So it's abit easy to skew it. It's true we're not talking about at your locale here, but still.. Food for thought I suppose.

The per diem ends when you leave OKC obviously, but once you get to your facility, your pay goes to your salary rate that you get in your FOL.
 
I guess the way I was looking at it was that the new Trainees get about $10,000 for 6-8 months of work once they are at their actual facility. I guess it could be read either way.
 
Since my last "real" job went out of business six months ago, I've felt the sting of living on a 25k "salary." Bring that regular rate + per diem on :D
 
I'm not sure about this info, after the academy I will be at 40K, how long it takes to get raises after that is up to you. At center the first raise they say is usually after 10 months, and you will be up over 50K at that point.
 
"Upon successful completion of the Academy initial training program and other employment requirements, you will continue your training at your assigned facility on a permanent appointment with a salary between $37,463 and $43,867. As a new controller you will receive pay increases as you successfully complete the progressive phases of controller training at your assigned facility with a potential to earn over $100,000 annually. Upon successfully completing training & passing all required evaluations you may be given a permanent appointment at an air traffic control facility nationwide. You will be provided an opportunity to identify which locations you are interested in working at a later date. POSITIONS ARE LOCATED throughout the Nation, in Puerto Rico, in Guam, and also in the Virgin Islands."

-ASAP webpage

"
Starting Pay for Air Traffic Controller Recruits
(excludes locality pay rates) General Public *$17,046 AT-CTI Graduates *$17,046 Veterans Recruitment Appointment $33,100 Retired military controllers $33,100 Current or former Federal controllers $33,100 *Represents pay while completing entry level training at the FAA Academy. The pay increases to $33,100 after reporting to an assigned facility and continues to increase as each required developmental training phase is completed."


-FAA webpage


As quoted by the FAA on their own websites...while housing and per-diem are not exactly listed or noted on the few pages I researched.. yes, training pay is rather low.. get your certifications and work your ass off to get that permanent appointment. It's definitely a "ground-up" approach to this new career choice we've all made.




But, without certifications, we could consider ourselves "over-paid interns" don't you think?
 
Yes, I've read all of the information about pay scale and all that from the FAA. I just thought it was a little fishy that a NATCA spokesperson would say something that was so off of what the FAA is stating. Of course, you can't always trust everything that is in a newspaper article. They may have twisted his words around.
 
The national inquirer could probably write a more truthful article about the new FAA structuring.

Somebody who knew someone at the newspaper got his friend to jump on the "poor little ATC" bandwagon to give the feds bad press.

But I guess you could say that's it's a good thing that there is SOME negative press clouting it all... call it a BS filter!

I'd rather work around people who share a common love/appreciation, whatever you want to call it.. for aviation than people that are just in it for the money. (who are probably reading all of these articles and will subsequently NOT join up)
 
Yes, I've read all of the information about pay scale and all that from the FAA. I just thought it was a little fishy that a NATCA spokesperson would say something that was so off of what the FAA is stating. Of course, you can't always trust everything that is in a newspaper article. They may have twisted his words around.


I believe the NATCA rep is correct. The pay all depends on where you go and your facility level. The lower level towers do not get paid much at all, in my opinion. A lot of the average pay still reflects the old pay scale.
 
I bet all this fuss about pay is giving the current controllers a grumble in their stomach... 30k or 100k, at the end of the day, is it about the career itself?

:)
 
I bet all this fuss about pay is giving the current controllers a grumble in their stomach... 30k or 100k, at the end of the day, is it about the career itself?

:)

I understand that money's important for those with family obligations and a LOT more financial responsibility than myself so I'll only speak on my own behalf. I'm in it for the job. Money.. anyone can make money.. and we may very well do so after we get certified and everything else. I guess I'm fortunate that 17-23k starting is kosher.

My sentiments to those who are going to struggle through this. It'll pay off in the end i'm sure. it IS a bit of a leap of faith, but keep your heads in there!
 
Position: Air Traffic Control Specialist (Terminal), AT-2152-EC
Salary: $43,867 per annum, which includes 32.53% Locality
Duty Location: FAA Stockton ATCT 7434 S Lindbergh St.
Stockton, CA 95206
Type of Appointment: Excepted-Conditional; full-time, permanent.

It is off of my FOL
 
Friends of Jet Careers:

In early June I contacted OKC and inquired about the salary. I couldn't believe my ears! What awesome news for a young man or woman graduating college ... the salary and benefits are awesome! Training pay plus the daily stipend is very, very, generous. For individuals in my area ... the salary is very generous. In 2.5 years making $90,000.00

After speaking with the individual from OKC I contacted the ZKC center in Olathe, Kansas and was told the same information.

The Jet Careers site has been very helpful and informative for myself as well as countless other individuals who are in the ATC Controller process.

I wish everyone well, JCD
 
Friends of Jet Careers:

In early June I contacted OKC and inquired about the salary. I couldn't believe my ears! What awesome news for a young man or woman graduating college ... the salary and benefits are awesome! Training pay plus the daily stipend is very, very, generous. For individuals in my area ... the salary is very generous. In 2.5 years making $90,000.00

After speaking with the individual from OKC I contacted the ZKC center in Olathe, Kansas and was told the same information.

The Jet Careers site has been very helpful and informative for myself as well as countless other individuals who are in the ATC Controller process.

I wish everyone well, JCD

Are you some HR Rep for OKC? ;)

also... 2.5 years to 90k?! Where are you planning on ending up?
 
You only make 90k+ if you are CPC and at a facility that is high enough on the pay scale, I think at SCK I will only be getting 52k (After my 32% locality pay) because I'm at a level 5 tower.
 
SCK is a pretty awesome, under-used airport these days! My airline flies there- I like it and the location is so close to Sacramento or San Fran!

Good luck there!
 
SCK is a pretty awesome, under-used airport these days! My airline flies there- I like it and the location is so close to Sacramento or San Fran!

Good luck there!

Yeah, on passenger carrying airline flying out of there, and it is direct to Vegas, which is sorta of nice because a round trip isn't extremely expensive.
 
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