FAA Targets Gamers For Air Traffic Controller Jobs: No Degree Required | Image by Canva
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced Friday that the Federal Aviation Administration will open its annual hiring window for air traffic controllers at midnight on April 17.
The effort seeks candidates with skills that translate well to the job, including strong cognitive abilities, multitasking, spatial awareness, and strategic and problem-solving skills.
Only about 25% of current controllers hold a traditional college degree, and the campaign is designed to reach talented young people on alternative career paths.
Roughly 65% of Americans — more than 200 million people — play video games regularly, and exit interviews with controllers have highlighted gaming as a factor in their ability to think quickly, stay focused, and manage complexity.
“To reach the next generation of air traffic controllers, we need to adapt. This campaign’s innovative communication style and focus on gaming taps into a growing demographic of young adults who have many of the hard skills it takes to be a successful controller,” Duffy said in a news release.
“Thanks to President Trump — we’ve already made incredible progress with the highest controller staffing levels in six years. There’s never been a more exciting time to become a controller and level up into a career with a strong purpose — keeping American families safe.”
No college degree is required for the position, which can pay more than six figures within three years. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stressed the importance of bringing in strong candidates.
“Safety is the FAA’s top priority, and that starts with hiring top talent and equipping them with world-class tools,” he said. “We need the best people, the best training, and the best tools because we expect the best results.”
The agency has made significant gains in addressing staffing needs. It now has nearly 11,000 controllers on duty with more than 4,000 trainees in the pipeline. From January to September 2025, the FAA hired 20% more controllers than in the same period the year before. It has onboarded a record 2,400 since last March and graduated its largest class ever last year.
The FAA met its fiscal 2025 hiring goal in September, adding more than 2,000 new controllers, and has already reached nearly half of its fiscal 2026 target, with almost 1,200 onboarded so far.
Hiring has been streamlined, with applicants moving into the Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City at four times the rate last year. The academy expanded its instructor workforce by 15 percent and had a record year with nearly every seat filled.
Applicants can expect a faster start to their careers thanks to those changes. The hiring window will close once the FAA receives 8,000 applications, and officials urged candidates to apply early at USAJobs.gov.
More information is available at faa.gov/atc-hiring.
