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The differences between aircraft maintenance technicians and light wheel mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an aircraft maintenance technician, becoming a light wheel mechanic takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an aircraft maintenance technician has an average salary of $53,026, which is higher than the $41,948 average annual salary of a light wheel mechanic.
The top three skills for an aircraft maintenance technician include FAA, airframe and powerplant. The most important skills for a light wheel mechanic are mechanical problems, electrical systems, and equipment systems.
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $53,026 | $41,948 |
| Hourly rate | $25.49 | $20.17 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 105,268 | 90,297 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
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 light wheel mechanic is responsible for maintaining the optimal performance and efficiency of light-wheeled vehicles used for industrial operations, especially in a military setting. Light wheel mechanics inspect the condition of the vehicle's engine, perform preventive maintenance, replace defective components, assemble upgrade systems based on schematics and blueprints, and create resolution reports for reference. They must have excellent knowledge of the auto-mechanic industry to determine faults and identify repairs, avoiding delays, complications, and hazards during operations.
Aircraft maintenance technicians and light wheel mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $53,026 | $41,948 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $75,000 | Between $25,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | - |
| Best paying company | Citi | - |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between an aircraft maintenance technician and a light wheel mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | Purdue University | - |
Here are the differences between aircraft maintenance technicians' and light wheel mechanics' demographics:
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% |
| 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, 9.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.5% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |