Median pay is higher than my pay, and it looks like equal to median dev pay. But why would I want the stress and lower flexibility? I hate my current job and still wouldn't be interested in ATC for the higher pay.
The sense of doing something useful? Maybe it gets lost, but I think that going home knowing that you were part of safely getting people and aircraft where then need to go would be fulfilling. Also very stressful though, knowing what the consequences of a mistake can be.
Developers can always fix their mistakes. Very, very few would even even possibly result in the loss of life. I'd think pay for controllers should be much higher, but like anything it is subject to economics. If people are willing to do it for $X, then that is what it will pay.
