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Control Tower Operator Jobs in Texas (NOW HIRING)

Individual must have held a Control Tower Operator Certificate (CTO) with a facility rating or have held an FAA Credential with a tower rating, for a minimum of six months in an Air Traffic Control ...

$87K - $135K/yr

You will be required to maintain a valid Air Traffic Control Specialist and/or Control Tower Operator Certificate. * Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military ...

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Control Tower Operator information

See Texas salary details

$13

$17

$21

How much do control tower operator jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 16, 2026, the average hourly pay for control tower operator in Texas is $17.92, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.11 and $19.71 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Control Tower Operator, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Control Tower Operator, you need strong situational awareness, quick decision-making, and a thorough understanding of air traffic regulations, often requiring completion of specialized FAA training and certification. Familiarity with radar systems, radio communication equipment, and air traffic management software is critical. Excellent communication, stress management, and teamwork skills help operators coordinate safely and efficiently in high-pressure environments. These abilities are crucial to ensure the safe and orderly movement of aircraft, minimizing risks and delays in air traffic operations.

How much does an ATC operator get paid?

Control Tower Operators, also known as Air Traffic Control (ATC) operators, typically earn a median annual salary of around $130,000, with salaries varying based on experience, location, and certifications. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced controllers in high-traffic areas can earn over $180,000 annually.

What Does a Control Tower Operator Do?

As a control tower operator or air traffic controller, you coordinate a variety of land and air vehicles in the air, on taxiways, and on runways. In this career, you spend the majority of your work day in the control tower, where you oversee the airplanes and other traffic you control. You are responsible for verifying flight plans, as well as giving takeoff and landing clearance orders to pilots. Control tower operators are regulated and managed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as you are responsible for the safety of commercial and private aircraft within the United States and international airspace under U.S. control.

What are the most common challenges faced by a Control Tower Operator, and how can they be managed effectively?

Control Tower Operators often deal with high-pressure situations, such as coordinating multiple incoming and outgoing flights, managing unexpected weather changes, and ensuring clear communication between pilots and ground staff. Staying calm under pressure and being able to prioritize tasks quickly are essential skills. Effective use of technology, following established protocols, and maintaining strong teamwork with other air traffic controllers and airport personnel can help manage these challenges successfully.

How do you become a control tower operator?

To become a control tower operator, candidates typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, followed by specialized training or certification in air traffic control or related fields. Many employers require prior experience or certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or equivalent authority, and operators must pass medical and background checks, along with ongoing training to maintain certification.

Did air traffic controllers get paid $10,000?

Control tower operators, a type of air traffic controller, typically earn salaries that vary based on experience, location, and certification level. In the United States, the average annual salary for air traffic controllers is around $130,000, well above $10,000, with entry-level positions starting lower but increasing with experience and overtime opportunities.

How much do tower controllers make?

Control tower operators, also known as air traffic controllers, typically earn a median annual salary of around $130,000, with salaries varying based on experience, location, and certifications. They are responsible for managing aircraft movements in airports and require specialized training and certification to ensure safety and efficiency.

What are Control Tower Operators?

Control Tower Operators are professionals responsible for overseeing and managing the movement of aircraft on the ground and in the airspace immediately surrounding an airport. They use radar, radios, and other communication tools to give pilots takeoff and landing instructions, provide weather updates, and coordinate safe aircraft traffic flow. Their role is crucial for ensuring airport operations run safely and efficiently, preventing collisions and minimizing delays. Control Tower Operators must remain alert at all times and be able to make quick decisions in fast-paced environments.

What is the difference between Control Tower Operator vs Air Traffic Controller?

AspectControl Tower OperatorAir Traffic Controller
Required CertificationsFAA Control Tower Certification, FCC Radio LicenseFAA Air Traffic Control Certification
Work EnvironmentAirport control towers, ground operationsAirspace, airport towers, en-route sectors
Employer & Industry UsageAirports, airline ground servicesFAA, military, commercial airlines

Control Tower Operators primarily manage ground and airport surface movements, ensuring safety on runways and taxiways. Air Traffic Controllers oversee aircraft in the airspace, managing takeoffs, landings, and en-route traffic. While both roles require FAA certification and work in airport environments, Control Tower Operators focus on ground operations, whereas Air Traffic Controllers handle airborne traffic control.

What are popular job titles related to Control Tower Operator jobs in TX? For Control Tower Operator jobs in TX, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Control Tower Operator job openings in Texas as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $37,266 per year, or $17.9 per hour.
Air Traffic Control Specialist

Air Traffic Control Specialist

Robinson Aviation

Waco, TX • On-site

$44.35/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 12 days ago


Job description


Summary
Responsible for the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic control duties in a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Air Traffic Control Tower.

Dimensions of Position
Works under the general supervision of the Tower Manager who relies on the incumbent to perform established duties independently. On new or revised procedures, the manager gives detailed instructions and observes, and checks work during or immediately after completion according to complexity of the task or until satisfied the incumbent can perform it independently.

Accountability

1. Makes decisions involving:

  • The order of departures that will assure all aircraft equitable treatment and will assure that departing IFR flights operate at the fix, altitude, and the time designated by the center or approach control clearances.
  • The times and direction of takeoff and any turns necessary for departure.
  • Whether inbound aircraft are to land immediately or circle and whether distances are lengthened to control the arrival of an aircraft at a given point.
  • The active runway and possible simultaneous use of other runways.
  • The time and methods by which arrivals and departures can be interspersed with the least delay to traffic.
  • When landing and departing aircraft are cleared to use the runways to assure standard separation between aircraft on the runways.
  • The sequence of arriving traffic, before it enters the traffic pattern, to assure a safe, orderly flow of aircraft on final approach to the landing runway.
  • That IFR separation standards are applied, as delegated by approach control of the center, in limited areas around the airport to provide initial separation between

IFR arrivals and IFR departures and between successive IFR departures.

  • The sequence of VFR and IFR traffic, using radar equipment as an aid and, when delegated, separating IFR traffic.
  • When VFR flights through the airport traffic area can be authorized.

2. Determines the usability of communications frequencies available to him/her as other navigational aids used to control air traffic. Monitors navigational aids and monitors control panels, including BRITE display to determine acceptability of its alignment and display presentation. Instructs pilots to change radio frequencies/radar beacon codes.

3. When appropriate, coordinates with the other controllers on movements of both arrival and departure aircraft.

4. When traffic conditions warrant, controllers in non-approach terminals are responsible for:

  • Preplanning traffic sequencing and separation over an area which may reach out to a radius of 5 miles or more.
  • Preplanning and setting up check points required to ensure the maintenance of necessary traffic separation.
  • Maintaining a continuous mental picture and evaluation of a constantly changing traffic complex frequency dispersed over an equivalent geographic area.
  • Maintaining continuous radio watch with aircraft which have previously contacted the facility.
  • Accepting responsibility to handle IFR traffic at his/her airport.

5. Studies weather bureau reports and forecasts, obtains LAWRS/SAWRS weather certification, observes weather from the tower and records pilot reports to determine the effect of present and anticipated weather on traffic; furnishes aircraft with information such as field conditions, altimeter settings, weather conditions, operating status of navigational aids, and observed malfunctioning of aircraft, forwards to the weather bureau and the appropriate center, pilot weather reports and reports based upon personal observation of weather conditions; operates light guns, runway lights, field lighting, jet barriers etc.

6. Orients pilots of aircraft lost or in difficulty; determines whether a given situation may operations offices, airport management offices, and fire and ambulance services.

7. Performs lower grade level duties as necessary to meet operational requirements and for proficiency maintenance.

8. Provides OJT training to others.

Requirements

Individual must have a CTO Certificate and a current Class II Medical Certificate. Position is subject to drug and/or alcohol testing per the DOT/FAA requirements (pre-employment, random, reasonable cause/suspicion, post-accident). Individual must have held a Control Tower Operator Certificate (CTO) with a facility rating or have held an FAA Credential with a tower rating, for a minimum of six months in an Air Traffic Control Tower.

Pay: $44.35 Per Hour

HW Rate: $4.98