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Aircraft maintenance technician vs aviation mechanic

The differences between aircraft maintenance technicians and aviation 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 maintenance technician and an aviation mechanic. Additionally, an aviation mechanic has an average salary of $54,534, which is higher than the $53,026 average annual salary of an aircraft maintenance technician.

The top three skills for an aircraft maintenance technician include FAA, airframe and powerplant. The most important skills for an aviation mechanic are safety procedures, hand tools, and airframe.

Aircraft maintenance technician vs aviation mechanic overview

Aircraft Maintenance TechnicianAviation Mechanic
Yearly salary$53,026$54,534
Hourly rate$25.49$26.22
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs105,26835,647
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 43%High School Diploma, 32%
Average age4040
Years of experience44

Aircraft maintenance technician vs aviation mechanic salary

Aircraft maintenance technicians and aviation mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

Aircraft Maintenance TechnicianAviation Mechanic
Average salary$53,026$54,534
Salary rangeBetween $37,000 And $75,000Between $34,000 And $85,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CA-
Highest paying stateNevada-
Best paying companyCiti-
Best paying industryGovernment-

Differences between aircraft maintenance technician and aviation mechanic education

There are a few differences between an aircraft maintenance technician and an aviation mechanic in terms of educational background:

Aircraft Maintenance TechnicianAviation Mechanic
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 43%High School Diploma, 32%
Most common majorAviationAviation
Most common collegePurdue UniversitySUNY Farmingdale

Aircraft maintenance technician vs aviation mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between aircraft maintenance technicians' and aviation mechanics' demographics:

Aircraft Maintenance TechnicianAviation Mechanic
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 93.6% Female, 6.4%Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between aircraft maintenance technician and aviation mechanic duties and responsibilities

Aircraft maintenance technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage the FOD prevention program to reduce costly repairs and increase the participation in FOD awareness and FOD walk downs.
  • Work in building maintenance HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems.
  • Develop lesson plans using ISD utilizing PowerPoint, excel and word documents.
  • Prepare daily lesson plans, handout materials, overhead transparencies, PowerPoint slides, and other training aids.
  • Install, repair, troubleshoot aviation and navigation systems install on military aircraft
  • Maintain all photo and etch equipment.
  • Show more

Aviation mechanic example responsibilities.

  • Perform installation, analysis, repair and troubleshooting of integrate avionics systems and aircraft electrical / mechanical systems.
  • Provide support functions for assign internal and external QA audits and reviews.
  • Repair aircraft wings, horizontal/vertical stabilizers, and aircraft panels.
  • Remove and replace ailerons, stabilizers, aileron servos and stabilizer servos.
  • Perform organizational maintenance on anti-submarine/Utility helicopters.

Aircraft maintenance technician vs aviation mechanic skills

Common aircraft maintenance technician skills
  • FAA, 11%
  • Airframe, 11%
  • Powerplant, 9%
  • Ladders, 6%
  • Hand Tools, 5%
  • Aircraft Components, 5%
Common aviation mechanic skills
  • Safety Procedures, 9%
  • Hand Tools, 8%
  • Airframe, 7%
  • FAA, 7%
  • Routine Maintenance, 4%
  • Landing Gear, 4%

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