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The differences between aircraft maintenance technicians and maintenance engineers 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 maintenance engineer. Additionally, an aircraft maintenance technician has an average salary of $53,026, which is higher than the $47,133 average annual salary of a maintenance engineer.
The top three skills for an aircraft maintenance technician include FAA, airframe and powerplant. The most important skills for a maintenance engineer are plumbing, HVAC, and guest rooms.
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $53,026 | $47,133 |
| Hourly rate | $25.49 | $22.66 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 105,268 | 97,957 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 40 | 47 |
| 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 maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments. They also conduct routine checks, assist clients with technical faults, and ensure that the equipment works safely for certain operations. A maintenance engineer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to address technical malfunctions immediately.
Aircraft maintenance technicians and maintenance engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Average salary | $53,026 | $47,133 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $75,000 | Between $29,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Citi | Halliburton |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between an aircraft maintenance technician and a maintenance engineer in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | - |
Here are the differences between aircraft maintenance technicians' and maintenance engineers' demographics:
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Average age | 40 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% |
| 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, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |