Career Atlas

Air Traffic Controllers vs Subway & Light Rail Operators

Compare Air Traffic Controllers and Subway & Light Rail Operators side by side: median pay, job outlook, AI exposure, education, and top skills. Air Traffic Controllers pays about $62k more.

Air Traffic Controllers

Median pay$148k
OutlookGrowing
AI exposureModerate 56%, modeled
EducationAssociate's plus FAA academy
Active ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingMonitoringReading Comprehension

Subway & Light Rail Operators

Median pay$86k
OutlookGrowing
AI exposureSome 38%, modeled
EducationHigh school
Active ListeningSpeakingMonitoringReading ComprehensionCritical Thinking
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2024-2034). Skills: O*NET 30.3. AI exposure is a modeled estimate. How we model AI exposure.