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The differences between aircraft maintenance technicians and helicopter 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 a helicopter mechanic. Additionally, a helicopter mechanic has an average salary of $61,876, 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 a helicopter mechanic are hand tools, safety procedures, and FAA.
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Helicopter Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $53,026 | $61,876 |
| Hourly rate | $25.49 | $29.75 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 105,268 | 33,954 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Aircraft Maintenance Technicians make commercial, government/private airplanes, and helicopters safe for their crew and passengers. They ensure that aircrafts meet Federal Aviation Regulations.
A helicopter mechanic is tasked with making sure all a helicopter's parts are good and working well. They thoroughly inspect and ensure that the helicopter and other aircraft meet standard regulations and are fit for flight. A helicopter mechanic is well versed in mechanics and has excellent problem-solving and computer skills. They repair and maintain both civilian and military helicopters. They may work at airfields or runways.
Aircraft maintenance technicians and helicopter mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Helicopter Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $53,026 | $61,876 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $75,000 | Between $44,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Hollister, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Citi | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Government | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an aircraft maintenance technician and a helicopter mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Helicopter Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aviation |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between aircraft maintenance technicians' and helicopter mechanics' demographics:
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Helicopter Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 93.0% Female, 7.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.4% Asian, 6.3% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |