Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between aircraft fuelers and aircraft maintenance 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 fueler and an aircraft maintenance technician. Additionally, an aircraft maintenance technician has an average salary of $53,026, which is higher than the $34,395 average annual salary of an aircraft fueler.
The top three skills for an aircraft fueler include basic math, commercial vehicles and aircraft weight. The most important skills for an aircraft maintenance technician are FAA, airframe, and powerplant.
| Aircraft Fueler | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $34,395 | $53,026 |
| Hourly rate | $16.54 | $25.49 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 10,728 | 105,268 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Aircraft fuelers' primary role is to ensure the proper refueling of aircraft before and after a flight. The position is essential, as proper refueling determines the safety of an aircraft. An aircraft fueler manages refueling equipment, transports fuel, and ensures adherence to safety protocols. They are also responsible for monitoring the functionality of all equipment and ordering repairs. This position requires a high level of safety-consciousness.
Aircraft Maintenance Technicians make commercial, government/private airplanes, and helicopters safe for their crew and passengers. They ensure that aircrafts meet Federal Aviation Regulations.
Aircraft fuelers and aircraft maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Fueler | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $34,395 | $53,026 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $45,000 | Between $37,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | North Las Vegas, NV | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | FlightSafety International | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Government |
There are a few differences between an aircraft fueler and an aircraft maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Fueler | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Business | Aviation |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between aircraft fuelers' and aircraft maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Aircraft Fueler | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.3% Female, 5.7% | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.6% Asian, 6.8% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 6.6% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |