FAA Hiring Outlook
Is the FAA Hiring Air Traffic
Controllers in 2026?
Yes — actively. The FAA is targeting 2,300+ new controllers in 2027 as part of a sustained effort to address controller staffing shortages. The FAA reports that it is operating the FAA Academy at full capacity. New Academy classes are being scheduled faster than at any point in the last decade. If you're under 31 and interested in this career, you're researching it at the right time.
Written by the ATC Prep Course Team · Based on FAA, GAO, and DOT reporting · Updated October 2026
Why the shortage exists — and why it's not going away
FAA controller staffing remains below the agency's desired levels. The FAA employed 13,164 controllers at the end of fiscal year 2025, about 6 percent fewer than in 2015. In 2023, the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General found that 20 of 26 critical facilities were staffed below 85 percent of the FAA's desired level. Because most controllers are required to retire at age 56, the FAA must hire continuously to replace departing controllers. When hiring slows, the gap widens: the FAA suspended Academy training for four months in 2020 due to COVID-19 and resumed at significantly reduced rates in 2021 and 2022. The FAA's current workforce plan sets hiring targets through fiscal year 2028.
What this means for applicants: The FAA is not being selective about whether to hire — it needs bodies in seats. It is selective about who passes the qualifying gates (the ATSA and the Academy Basics). Preparation at those gates matters more than it ever has because the demand for qualified candidates is high and the competition is not from other applicants passing those exams — it's from you passing them.
The news events that put ATC on everyone's radar
Three major events in 2025 turned ATC from a niche career into a mainstream news story. Each triggered a massive spike in search traffic for ATC career information — "air traffic controller salary," "how to become an air traffic controller," and "FAA hiring" all tripled or more during these windows. If you found this page because of one of those events, here's the context.
DCA Mid-Air Collision
A collision near Reagan National Airport (DCA) brought ATC staffing levels into front-page coverage. Reports at the time cited understaffing at the TRACON facility. Congressional attention followed immediately, accelerating FAA hiring timeline commitments.
Newark (EWR) Radar and Staffing Outages
Multiple incidents at Newark TRACON — radar outages and staffing gaps causing diversions and delays — kept ATC staffing in the news cycle for weeks. The FAA acknowledged specific understaffing at EWR. Congressional hearings followed.
Government Shutdown and FAA Staffing Uncertainty
The government shutdown created uncertainty around FAA staffing and hiring timelines. While the FAA operated under emergency authority, the shutdown triggered a new wave of coverage and public concern about air traffic control capacity.
The ATSA is the first big filter
Fewer than 10 percent of all applicants meet the FAA's requirements and are accepted. The ATSA is a 3.5-hour computer-based assessment of cognitive skills. No aviation knowledge is required.
The ATSA tests cognitive skills under time pressure: spatial reasoning, working memory, multitasking, and information processing. No aviation knowledge required. Preparation fixes the format problem.
ATSA Practice Test →Free mini-test
Not sure where you stand on the ATSA format? Take the free 8-minute mini-test. No account, no credit card. Get a score breakdown and see where you need the most work.
Start free →Prepare for the first stage of FAA Academy training today
The Basics final is the first pass-or-go-home exam at the FAA Academy. Practice with 700+ Basics-final-style questions, timed mock exams, and instant scoring.
Basics Practice Test →Long-term effect: These events didn't create the shortage — they revealed it. The coverage created enormous public awareness of a career path that has been consistently available for years. If you're reading this now, you're part of a wave of motivated applicants. The good news: the FAA wants all of you who can qualify.
How FAA hiring actually works — step by step
The FAA hiring process is federal, which means it runs through USAJobs.gov and follows a structured sequence. There's no informal path. Here's what happens between "I'm interested" and "I have a report date."
Watch for the job posting on USAJobs.gov
The FAA posts controller vacancies on USAJobs.gov, typically under titles like "Air Traffic Control Specialist — Trainee" or "ATCS Off-the-Street." Posting windows are often short — 5 to 10 days. Set up a USAJobs saved search for "air traffic control" filtered to FAA. Enable email alerts.
Submit your application during the open window
You'll upload a resume, complete the FAA biographical questionnaire (BQ), and confirm eligibility criteria (citizenship, age, education). The BQ asks about previous aviation experience, work history, and other background factors. Answer carefully — these responses are scored.
Take the ATSA (Air Traffic Skills Assessment)
Eligible applicants are invited to take the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA), a 3.5-hour computer-based test of cognitive skills administered in person at authorized testing centers. A Well Qualified score is required to advance.
Medical screening, security clearance, background check
Applicants who pass the ATSA go through a Class II Medical exam (similar to a second-class pilot medical), a federal background investigation, and security clearance screening. Drug testing is included. Most applicants who reach this stage pass — medical disqualifications are uncommon for otherwise healthy candidates.
Receive an Academy report date
Cleared applicants receive a report date for the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. This is where the Basics course begins — a 3-month classroom curriculum covering radar, airways, weather, separation standards, and regulations. The Basics final exam is pass-or-go-home at 70%.
Who can apply — a quick eligibility check
US citizenship — required; no exceptions
Age under 31 — application must be submitted before your 31st birthday. This is a hard cutoff.
Education and/or Work experience — One year of progressively responsible work experience, or a combination of college and work totaling one year.
No aviation background required — the ATSA tests cognitive skills, not aviation knowledge. Controllers are trained from scratch at the Academy.
The age requirement is the one you can't fix later. If you're currently 28, 29, or 30 and interested in this career — you need to act now. There is no extension, waiver, or exception for the civilian off-the-street path unless you have prior ATC experience. The next posting could be your last eligible opportunity.
When will the FAA post openings?
The FAA has been posting controller vacancies roughly every 3–6 months as of 2025–2026. Posting dates are not announced far in advance. The only reliable way to know when a posting goes live is to have a saved USAJobs search with email alerts set up before the posting opens or follow FAA on social network services like Facebook, or Instagram where they announce off-the-street hiring.
There's no insider list, no early access, and no agency that gets advance notice. Set up your USAJobs alert — that's the same system every applicant uses, and it works.
How to set up a USAJobs alert: Go to usajobs.gov → create an account → go to Profile → Saved Searches → create a new search for "air traffic control specialist" with agency set to "Federal Aviation Administration." Set alert frequency to "immediately." That's it. You'll be notified the day any relevant posting opens.
What you should be doing right now to prepare
The ATSA is the first significant filter — The gap between applicants who pass and those who don't isn't usually about intelligence or aptitude. It's about preparation. The ATSA's format is unusual enough that the first time most people see it, they perform significantly below their actual ceiling. Practice changes that.
The data is straightforward: one student on the Basics Practice Test went from 61% to 88% in 13 days of practice — starting below the pass threshold, finishing 18 points above it. Consistent practice produces measurable improvement on both the ATSA and the Basics.
COMMON QUESTIONS
FAA hiring — frequently asked questions
Is the FAA hiring air traffic controllers in 2027?
Yes. The FAA plans to hire at least 2,300 air traffic controllers in fiscal year 2027, with targets of 2,400 in fiscal year 2028. The FAA reports that it is operating the FAA Academy at full capacity to address controller staffing shortages.
Where do FAA air traffic controller jobs get posted?
FAA air traffic controller vacancies are posted on USAJobs.gov.
The FAA opens its hiring window for applicants without prior experience once a year; the 2026 window opened on April 17, 2026, and was scheduled to close once the FAA received 8,000 applications.
Set up a USAJobs job alert for "air traffic control specialist" filtered to the Federal Aviation Administration, and follow the FAA newsroom and official FAA social media accounts for hiring announcements.
Do you need aviation experience to apply for FAA controller jobs?
No. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, be under 31 years of age at the time of application, and have a Bachelor's degree, one year of progressively responsible work experience, or a combination of post-secondary education and work experience totaling one year. No aviation background, pilot's license, or aviation degree is required. Selected applicants complete training at the FAA Academy, followed by one to three years of on-the-job training to become a Certified Professional Controller.
What caused the ATC shortage?
The shortage stems from three compounding factors: a mandatory retirement age of 56 that creates a constant outflow of experienced controllers; a hiring slowdown, and training stoppage during COVID that created a structural gap; and the long training pipeline (it takes 3–5 years to fully certify a controller) that means today's hiring gap creates tomorrow's operational gap. The GAO classified it as a high-risk national concern in 2025.
What is the age limit for FAA air traffic controller applicants?
Off-the-street applicants must submit their application before their 31st birthday. The cutoff is firm — only exception is if you have previous ATC experience. If you're currently 29 or 30 and interested in this career, the window may be closing within months. Take this opportunity!
How long does the FAA hiring process take?
From application to Academy report date typically takes 6–18 months, depending on how quickly ATSA testing slots are available and how long security clearance processing takes. The ATSA itself is usually scheduled 3–8 months after application. Background check and medical screening add another 2–6 months. Use this time to prepare.
CONTINUE READING
More ATC career resources
How to Become an Air Traffic Controller
Every step from application to CPC certification — the full pipeline explained.
Complete guide →ATC Salary Guide
What controllers actually make — by facility type, pay band, and career stage.
$80k–$210k+ →Requirements & Eligibility
Age limit, citizenship, education, medical — full checklist with pass/warn/no indicators.
Check your eligibility →