Air Traffic Controller: main tradeoff

Excellent federal compensation and an aggressive hiring push, but entry is selective and training attrition plus age/retirement rules make the path unusually constrained.

Physician Assistant: main tradeoff

High pay, strong growth, and a much shorter training path than physician make PA unusually attractive, though graduate education and clinical intensity remain significant.

Which should you choose?

Air Traffic Controller has the higher national median pay in the BLS data. Physician Assistant has the higher projected 2024–2034 growth rate. The larger decision is whether you prefer the training path, work style, and occupation-specific tradeoffs of Air Traffic Controller or Physician Assistant.