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Air Traffic Controller salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an air traffic controller is $137,900 per annum, before tax, up $29,000 since 2018.
- Airservices Australia and the Department of Defence each set pay through their own enterprise agreements, so figures from the two employers are not directly comparable.
- Shift penalties, public holiday rates and overtime make up a real share of a controller's income, and some advertised salaries fold those in while others don't, so ask which.
- Your classification also moves with the endorsements you hold and the complexity of the airspace you work, which explains why two people with the same job title can be paid differently.
The median salary rose by $29,000 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than air traffic controller
The largest typical pay rise is $46,300 a year, moving into Defence Force Officer.
- Defence Force Officer+$46,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher air traffic controller salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time air traffic controller salary is $137,900; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Air Traffic Controllers are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Operations management and Risk and internal controls tend to command a premium over general air traffic controller experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Defence Force Officer pays a typical $46,300 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Air Traffic Controller salary questions
How much do air traffic controllers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an air traffic controller is $137,900 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is air traffic controller pay rising or falling?
The median air traffic controller salary is up $29,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than air traffic controller?
Defence Force Officer pays a typical $46,300 a year more and draws on similar skills to air traffic controller.
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Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.