Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between aircraft engineers and aircraft mechanics 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 engineer and an aircraft mechanic. Additionally, an aircraft engineer has an average salary of $72,867, which is higher than the $60,496 average annual salary of an aircraft mechanic.
The top three skills for an aircraft engineer include DOD, aircraft systems and CAD. The most important skills for an aircraft mechanic are hand tools, airframe, and FAA.
| Aircraft Engineer | Aircraft Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $72,867 | $60,496 |
| Hourly rate | $35.03 | $29.08 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 5,718 | 35,667 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An aircraft engineer oversees the design and assembly of an aircraft. Broadly, they are responsible for developing aircraft designs, testing and fine-tuning them, and ensuring safe practices during the assembly process. Specifically, this involves providing design drafts, meeting with executives to get feedback, and working in an engineering team to improve designs. They must consider aerodynamic principles, air safety, passenger comfort, and customer. This position requires an advanced degree and strong experience in the aviation field.
An aircraft mechanic is responsible for regularly checking and maintaining aircraft systems to ensure its safety and stability during operations. Aircraft mechanics should have extensive knowledge of troubleshooting and detecting system malfunctions. They are also required to adhere strictly with the standard protocols and regulations of the company, guaranteeing smooth procedures and efficient solutions. Aircraft mechanics must possess excellent decision-making and critical-thinking skills to perform diagnosis and inspection under minimal supervision. An aircraft mechanic should be able to utilize aviation tools and equipment, document resources, and report findings for safety concerns.
Aircraft engineers and aircraft mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Engineer | Aircraft Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $72,867 | $60,496 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $99,000 | Between $41,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Newport News, VA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Joby Aviation | AECOM |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Government |
There are a few differences between an aircraft engineer and an aircraft mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Engineer | Aircraft Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Aerospace Engineering | Aviation |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between aircraft engineers' and aircraft mechanics' demographics:
| Aircraft Engineer | Aircraft Mechanic | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 93.1% Female, 6.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 10.8% White, 68.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 6.6% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 2% |