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The differences between aircraft mechanics and requirements 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 a requirements engineer. Additionally, a requirements engineer has an average salary of $87,170, 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 a requirements engineer are java, software development, and powerpoint.
| Aircraft Mechanic | Requirements Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $60,496 | $87,170 |
| Hourly rate | $29.08 | $41.91 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 35,667 | 166,444 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 40 | 39 |
| 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.
Requirements engineers are responsible for the analysis, documentation, coordination, and management of requirements regarding new software projects. They identify and understand the customer's project-specific demands and document them in a clear and binding way. Their duties and responsibilities also include preparing well-written and detailed documentation of the project and ensuring the project is designed and built within the legal parameters.
Aircraft mechanics and requirements engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Mechanic | Requirements Engineer | |
| Average salary | $60,496 | $87,170 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $87,000 | Between $62,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newport News, VA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | California |
| Best paying company | AECOM | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between an aircraft mechanic and a requirements engineer in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Mechanic | Requirements Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between aircraft mechanics' and requirements engineers' demographics:
| Aircraft Mechanic | Requirements Engineer | |
| Average age | 40 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.1% Female, 6.9% | Male, 64.5% Female, 35.5% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 8% |