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The differences between aircraft maintenance technicians and senior 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 senior mechanic. Additionally, an aircraft maintenance technician has an average salary of $53,026, which is higher than the $51,569 average annual salary of a senior mechanic.
The top three skills for an aircraft maintenance technician include FAA, airframe and powerplant. The most important skills for a senior mechanic are hand tools, preventive maintenance, and HVAC.
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Senior Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $53,026 | $51,569 |
| Hourly rate | $25.49 | $24.79 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 105,268 | 85,706 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Average age | 40 | 49 |
| 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 senior mechanic builds machines or mechanical components based on client specifications and requirements. As a senior mechanic, you will perform a variety of duties that include performing technical inspections on corrective maintenance, vehicle armor and services, monitoring and supporting day-to-day facility and production operations, and troubleshooting problems. Additionally, you will perform preventative maintenance on equipment, generators, and vehicles, and conducting research on parts repair. You will also perform various custodial and maintenance duties as requested.
Aircraft maintenance technicians and senior mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Senior Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $53,026 | $51,569 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $75,000 | Between $37,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Roseville, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Citi | Orange County Sanitation District |
| Best paying industry | Government | Energy |
There are a few differences between an aircraft maintenance technician and a senior mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Senior Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | Purdue University | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between aircraft maintenance technicians' and senior mechanics' demographics:
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Senior Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0% |
| 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, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 2.1% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 4% |