pass
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL — NO DEGREE REQUIRED · AVERAGE SALARY $156K · AGE 31 CUTOFF
The FAA is hiring Air Traffic Controllers.
We teach you what you'll be tested on.
Air traffic control is one of the highest-paying federal careers available without a college degree—but getting there requires passing a series of tests. Built from 40+ years of FAA controller experience, including FAA Academy instruction, our courses show you what to expect.
$156K
Average certified controller salary
2,300+
Controllers the FAA is hiring in FY2027
Age 31
Hard cutoff for off-the-street applicants
No degree
required — FAA hires directly off the street
The next FAA hiring window is coming soon—and the bids close quickly.
When a new hiring window opens, thousands of people apply within days. Subscribe to The Briefing and we'll notify you the moment one goes live — so you don’t miss your chance to apply.
Already have your FAA Academy report date? The Basics final — a pass-or-fail exam 4 weeks into your OKC training — catches a lot of people off guard. Don’t wait until you arrive to start preparing.
START HERE
Where are you in the process?
I'm starting from zero — what even is ATC?
Air traffic controllers direct planes in the sky and on runways — and the FAA hires people off the street for the job, no aviation degree required. Here's what the career actually looks like, what it pays, and whether you'd qualify.
I'm preparing for the ATSA
The ATSA is a cognitive aptitude test — not an aviation knowledge test. Most people who fail aren't unqualified. They just didn't know the format. That's fixable.
ATSA Practice Test — Start Practicing →
I'm heading to the FAA Academy
Have a report date? The Basics final is pass-or-go-home at 70%. Practice with 700+ questions and timed mock exams to test what you know, identify weak areas, and get comfortable with the pace before you arrive in OKC.
THE ATC HIRING PROCESS
Here's how you actually become an air traffic controller.
There are five major steps between applying and becoming a fully certified federal air traffic controller—and you don’t need prior aviation experience to get started. Here’s what to expect at each stage.
Step 1 — Apply
The FAA posts off-the-street controller jobs on USAJOBS.gov during limited hiring windows. You must be under 31, and no prior aviation experience is required.
Open to allStep 2 — ATSA Test
The ATSA is a 3.5-hour computer-based aptitude test—not an aviation knowledge test. It evaluates cognitive skills such as information processing, memory, multitasking, and spatial reasoning. Understanding the format and practicing these skills can help you score higher.
ATSA Practice TestStep 3 — FAA Academy
After passing the ATSA and completing your clearances, the FAA sends you to Oklahoma City. You’ll begin with four weeks of Basics and a pass-or-fail final exam. Pass, and you’ll continue to either Tower or En Route training at the Academy.
Basics Practice TestStep 4 — Your Facility
After the Academy, you’ll report to your assigned facility—either a Tower (an airport cab where you can see the runways) or an En Route center (a radar room where you control aircraft on a scope). There, you’ll train on live traffic, complete additional evaluations, and work toward becoming fully certified.
On-the-Job TrainingStep 5 — Certified Controller
At your facility, you’ll certify on each position through evaluations called check rides. Once you complete every required position, you become a Certified Professional Controller. At some facilities, CPC pay starts as high as $187K, with federal retirement benefits and mandatory retirement at age 56.
The goalA CTI degree can cost tens of thousands—and still doesn’t guarantee you’ll become a controller.
Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) programs typically require two to four years of school and may provide access to CTI-specific hiring opportunities. Enhanced CTI programs may allow eligible graduates to proceed directly to facility training. But no CTI path guarantees that you’ll successfully complete FAA training and become a Certified Professional Controller. Even after you’re hired, you can still wash out. Before taking on significant debt, understand every pathway—including applying through an off-the-street hiring announcement with no aviation experience. Amanda and Ronnie were both hired off-the-street, and some of the best controllers they know started with no aviation background.
AT-CTI COLLEGE PROGRAMS
CAN COST $20K–$100K+
— VS. —
OUR PRACTICE TESTS
STARTING AT $59
Focused preparation · Built by former FAA controllers
THE COURSES
Whether you’re completely new to air traffic control, preparing for the ATSA, or heading to the FAA Academy, find preparation that matches your stage. Practice tests are available now, with additional courses and bundles coming soon—from beginner through Academy graduation.
Start where you are. Prepare for what comes next.
ATSA Practice Test
PRE-EMPLOYMENTThe ATSA is a 3.5-hour computer-based aptitude test used to evaluate cognitive skills—not aviation knowledge. Practice all seven section types in a timed simulation, then use your score breakdown and detailed explanations to identify where you need more practice.
- All 7 ATSA section types
- Timed, full-length simulation
- Score breakdown by section
- Detailed answer explanations
one-time
$59
Basics Practice Test
AT THE ACADEMYBasics for Air Traffic Control is the first stage of FAA Academy training in Oklahoma City and ends with a pass-or-go-home final. Practice with 700+ Basics-final-style questions and timed mock exams to identify weak areas and prepare for the pace of test day.
- 700+ Basics-final-style questions
- 30/60-min and full mock exams
- Instant scoring after every attempt
- Unlimited attempts to track progress
one-time
$147
BEST VALUE — AVAILABLE
ATSA + Basics Practice Test Bundle
Prepare for two major stages of the ATC hiring and training process with full access to the ATSA Practice Test and FAA Academy Basics Practice Test. Add both to your cart, and the bundle discount will apply automatically at checkout.
$206 regular
$179
Bundle & Save $27
RESULTS
From below the pass threshold to 18 points above it — in 13 days.
REAL STUDENT
•
REAL DATA
•
13 DAYS
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
Day 1
Day 4
Day 8
Day 11
Day 13
Full Version Assessment (+27 pts)
30-Minute Version (+18 pts)
70% pass threshold
Consistent, targeted practice against the actual exam format produces measurable improvement. This student started at 61% on the Full Version — below the Academy's 70% pass threshold — and finished at 88% after four attempts over thirteen days.
This isn't about being smarter. It's about knowing what's being tested. That's what these courses and practice tests are built for.
THE INSTRUCTORS
Not a test-prep company. Built by former FAA controllers—including an FAA Academy instructor.
Amanda Staniec
Former FAA En Route Controller, Oakland Center (ZOA) • Training Representative • Off-the-street hire
Amanda entered ATC with no aviation background—passed the ATSA off the street, completed the Academy, and spent nearly ten years controlling live en route traffic at Oakland Center. Her degree in education and passion for teaching shaped her work as a ZOA Area Training Representative, where she was responsible for getting Academy graduates up to speed on live traffic at one of the busiest facilities in the country.
- ~10 years at Oakland ARTCC (ZOA)
- Off-the-street hire — no aviation background
- ZOA Area Training Representative · Degree in Education
Ronnie Williams
Former FAA En Route & Terminal Controller — 32 Years • FAA Academy Instructor • Field Instructor
Ronnie spent 32 years with the FAA in en route and terminal operations at Indianapolis Center (ZID), Jacksonville Center (ZJX), Oakland Center (ZOA), and Honolulu Control Facility (HCF). He also served as an FAA Academy instructor in Oklahoma City and as a field instructor training and evaluating controllers on live traffic. His experience spans the full path from the Academy classroom to the operational facility.
- 32 years FAA — En Route & Terminal
- FAA Academy Instructor · Field Instructor
- ZID · ZJX · ZOA · HCF
40+
Combined years FAA
32yr
Ronnie’s FAA career — 4 major facilities and FAA Academy instruction
~10yr
Amanda as controller & Training Rep, ZOA
0
Competitors combining 40+ years of FAA experience
Not sure where to start? This takes 8 minutes.
Our free mini-test gives you a feel for the ATSA's cognitive style — memory, spatial reasoning, attention management — and tells you where you stand right now. Enter your email to be notified when the next FAA hiring window opens and receive The Debrief—ATC career insights and practical guidance.