Play video games? You, too, could become an air traffic controller

Video gamers are in demand to help patrol the nation’s skies.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in a recent social media post that the federal agency’s recruitment campaign to recruit gamers as air traffic controllers has been a “game changer” for the Federal Aviation Administration.  

The FAA hired more than 2,000 video gamers to train as air traffic controllers, meeting 94% of its hiring goal, according to the Transportation Department. Another 2,000-plus candidates are in the hiring pipeline, Duffy added. 

Why video gamers?

When Duffy announced the initiative in April, he acknowledged that the Transportation Department needed to extend its reach to recruit prospective air traffic controllers. 

“A lot of what they do playing games … is what they do …  controlling traffic in the air,” Duffy told CBS News senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave in an interview on Tuesday at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport. 

Duffy added that many current trainees started out as gamers. Only about 25% of controllers hold a traditional college degree, while former controllers note that gaming requires many of the same skills that air traffic controllers use on the job, such as thinking quickly, staying focused and managing multiple sources of information as they guide more than 80,000 flights to their destinations daily. 

How much do controllers earn?

In 2024, the most recent year for which federal data is available, the median annual wage for air traffic controllers was $144,580. But pay varies widely depending on a controller’s experience and where they work. Less experienced controllers at smaller airports earn close to $60,000 a year on average, according to aviation experts. 

A December report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office pointed to a major shortage of air traffic controllers, warning that it could lead to more flight delays or cancellations. 

A government shutdown late last year also turned some workers away from the profession, as controllers — who under the law are considered essential personnel — were forced to work without pay. 

Before someone qualifies to train at the FAA’s Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, job candidates must undergo a rigorous application process. Among the criteria to become a controller are to hold U.S. citizenship, be under the age of 31 and pass the FAA air traffic pre-employment tests. 

Aspiring controllers must also pass an exam that the FAA says predicts candidates’ “aptitude to be an air traffic controller.” Within a week, they are notified if they have passed. 

Historically, fewer than 10% of applicants met the FAA’s requirements to work as an air traffic controller and gain admission to the agency’s training program.