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The differences between aircraft refuelers 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 refueler and a structures mechanic. Additionally, a structures mechanic has an average salary of $61,579, which is higher than the $32,978 average annual salary of an aircraft refueler.
The top three skills for an aircraft refueler include customer service, FBO and private aircraft. The most important skills for a structures mechanic are safety regulations, jigs, and ladders.
| Aircraft Refueler | Structures Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $32,978 | $61,579 |
| Hourly rate | $15.85 | $29.61 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 3,254 | 38,406 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | Associate Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Primarily, aircraft fuelers are responsible for fueling and maintaining aircraft of different sizes. The fuelers make sure that the fuel of the aircraft is ready for takeoff. They safely hook up and unhook the equipment, fill fuel for the airplane's wings, and fill out its fuel transaction forms. Their job includes quality control of the aircraft equipment on a daily basis. They must be comfortable in using numbers for the calculation of fuel weight and volume.
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 refuelers and structures mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Refueler | Structures Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $32,978 | $61,579 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $43,000 | Between $45,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Reno, NV | Fairbanks, AK |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Atlantic Companies Holding Corporation | Aviation Technology Group |
| Best paying industry | Government | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an aircraft refueler and a structures mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Refueler | Structures Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | Associate Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Aviation |
| Most common college | SUNY Farmingdale | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between aircraft refuelers' and structures mechanics' demographics:
| Aircraft Refueler | Structures Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% | Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 22.9% Asian, 6.9% White, 54.9% 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% |