Air Traffic Controller Jobs – Highest Paying Job Without A College Degree

Believe it or not, one of the highest paying jobs that do not require a college degree is becoming an air traffic controller. An air traffic controller earns a maximum of six figure salaries per annum. So, why bother pursuing college education when in actual fact taking up the profession of an air traffic controller rewards you with impressive bucks?

The job of an air traffic controller basically encompasses authorization, regulation, and controlling commercial airline flights according to government or company regulations to expedite and ensure flight safety. If you have great communication skills and a strong work ethic, working as an air traffic controller should be the best job for you.

If you are passionate about this job, be sure to dive into the industry as soon as possible. Prospective air traffic controller candidates must not be over 30 years of age. Having that in mind, it is important to start early when looking into this career.

How to become an air traffic controller?

In the United States of America, you need to be a U.S. citizen in order to be accepted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Once accepted, you will be required to go through education at an educational institution approved by FAA. Among the 14 schools that are approved by FAA includes Daniel Webster College, Miami-Dade College, Purdue University and Vaughn College. For those who serve in the military and have undergone such training (air traffic control training), graduating from civilian college to be accepted as an FAA candidate is not required.

What’s next? Apply! Go ahead and apply for a job with the FAA. Once accepted, you will enroll into FAA’s Air Traffic Control Academy. This is when you’ll have to decide on a specialization; en route or terminal. Relevant training and internship programs are available for the separate specialization that you decide on. The training covers hands on experience, simulator training and certification examination.

The best part about this career is that you get to pick your location of work. There are air control towers across the United States of America. So, applying for a job at your preferred location isn’t a problem. However, there are no guarantees that your application will be approved.

Certainly, there is always ways to earn big bucks ($91,600 on average) without a college degree. However, the job as an air traffic controller requires dedication, a strong work ethic and willingness to learn.