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The differences between aircraft structure mechanics and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an aircraft structure mechanic, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an aircraft structure mechanic has an average salary of $62,809, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for an aircraft structure mechanic include calipers, jigs and stabilizers. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Aircraft Structure Mechanic | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $62,809 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $30.20 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 36,380 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Aircraft structure mechanics are skilled professionals who are responsible for maintaining and repairing aircraft components and airframe structural supports. These mechanics are required to use hand tools and testing equipment to perform repairs and troubleshoot aircraft components. They must conduct inspections and troubleshooting of aircraft systems and related aviation equipment to isolate faults and determine the required repairs or replacements. Aircraft structure mechanics must also interpret maintenance manuals so that they can determine the feasibility and method of repairing malfunctioning components.
Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.
Aircraft structure mechanics and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Structure Mechanic | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $62,809 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $85,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lakewood, WA | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Erickson | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an aircraft structure mechanic and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Structure Mechanic | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Nursing |
| Most common college | Purdue University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between aircraft structure mechanics' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Aircraft Structure Mechanic | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 6.8% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 8% |