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The differences between aircraft electricians and avionics technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an aircraft electrician and an avionics technician. Additionally, an avionics technician has an average salary of $55,545, which is higher than the $54,605 average annual salary of an aircraft electrician.
The top three skills for an aircraft electrician include electrical systems, hazardous materials and diagnose malfunctions. The most important skills for an avionics technician are FAA, hand tools, and electrical systems.
| Aircraft Electrician | Avionics Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $54,605 | $55,545 |
| Hourly rate | $26.25 | $26.70 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 19,166 | 25,603 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 36% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 40 | 33 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An aircraft electrician specializes in installing and repairing electrical systems in an aircraft, ensuring quality and efficiency. Their responsibilities typically include running diagnostic tests and examinations, troubleshooting problems, replacing and fixing components, understanding diagrams, and keeping records. There are also instances where they must solder wires, climb up high places, and perform regular maintenance checks. Moreover, an aircraft electrician typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for an efficient and safe workflow.
An avionics technician specializes in the installation, maintenance, and repair of aircraft tools and devices such as navigation, radar, radio, and other systems. They are primarily responsible for conducting regular testing and inspections for all devices, documenting every repair or change, replacing every defective or malfunctioning part, and assembling complex components. Furthermore, there are instances when technicians are required to weld and solder, even climb high places, during repairs.
Aircraft electricians and avionics technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Electrician | Avionics Technician | |
| Average salary | $54,605 | $55,545 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $77,000 | Between $40,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Edgewood, MD | Everett, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Northrop Grumman | Aerotek |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an aircraft electrician and an avionics technician in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Electrician | Avionics Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 36% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between aircraft electricians' and avionics technicians' demographics:
| Aircraft Electrician | Avionics Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 33 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 22.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 27.5% Asian, 5.4% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 14% |