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The differences between aircraft maintenance technicians and structures 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 structures mechanic. Additionally, a structures mechanic has an average salary of $61,579, 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 structures mechanic are safety regulations, jigs, and ladders.
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Structures Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $53,026 | $61,579 |
| Hourly rate | $25.49 | $29.61 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 105,268 | 38,406 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Associate Degree, 36% |
| 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 Structures Mechanic maintains the frame and structural components of machinery. They fabricate and repair metallic and nonmetallic materials, as well as perform inspections and supervision of machinery.
Aircraft maintenance technicians and structures mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Structures Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $53,026 | $61,579 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $75,000 | Between $45,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Fairbanks, AK |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Citi | Aviation Technology Group |
| Best paying industry | Government | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an aircraft maintenance technician and a structures mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Structures Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Associate Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aviation |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between aircraft maintenance technicians' and structures mechanics' demographics:
| Aircraft Maintenance Technician | Structures Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7% |
| 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, 23.3% Asian, 6.8% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |