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The differences between aircraft mechanics and aeronautical 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 mechanic and an aeronautical engineer. Additionally, an aeronautical engineer has an average salary of $80,442, which is higher than the $60,496 average annual salary of an aircraft mechanic.
The top three skills for an aircraft mechanic include hand tools, airframe and FAA. The most important skills for an aeronautical engineer are MATLAB, airframe, and CAD.
| Aircraft Mechanic | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $60,496 | $80,442 |
| Hourly rate | $29.08 | $38.67 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 35,667 | 28,911 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An aircraft mechanic is responsible for regularly checking and maintaining aircraft systems to ensure its safety and stability during operations. Aircraft mechanics should have extensive knowledge of troubleshooting and detecting system malfunctions. They are also required to adhere strictly with the standard protocols and regulations of the company, guaranteeing smooth procedures and efficient solutions. Aircraft mechanics must possess excellent decision-making and critical-thinking skills to perform diagnosis and inspection under minimal supervision. An aircraft mechanic should be able to utilize aviation tools and equipment, document resources, and report findings for safety concerns.
Aeronautical engineers are responsible for designing and testing products for aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, and satellites. Their tasks involve creating and examining blueprints, starting the criteria for a design system, scanning proposals, and correlating teams from design to manufacturing. They work full-time and often require extra hours to work on larger projects, keep track of progress, and make sure that the designs match the mandatory requirements. Individuals who preferred for the job are those who can communicate well, can control their time effectively and perform on diverse projects at once, and who love working as a part of a team towards common goals.
Aircraft mechanics and aeronautical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Mechanic | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $60,496 | $80,442 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $87,000 | Between $59,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newport News, VA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | AECOM | Terrafugia |
| Best paying industry | Government | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an aircraft mechanic and an aeronautical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Mechanic | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aerospace Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between aircraft mechanics' and aeronautical engineers' demographics:
| Aircraft Mechanic | Aeronautical Engineer | |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.1% Female, 6.9% | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 6.6% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.1% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 8% |