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The differences between aircraft technicians and aircraft maintenance technicians 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 technician and an aircraft maintenance technician. Additionally, an aircraft maintenance technician has an average salary of $53,026, which is higher than the $50,212 average annual salary of an aircraft technician.
The top three skills for an aircraft technician include FAA, airframe and aircraft components. The most important skills for an aircraft maintenance technician are FAA, airframe, and powerplant.
| Aircraft Technician | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $50,212 | $53,026 |
| Hourly rate | $24.14 | $25.49 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 28,265 | 105,268 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An Aircraft Technician inspects, maintains, and addresses any issues that arise with an aircraft. Their primary duties include diagnosing electrical issues, replacing defective parts, and maintaining aircraft standards.
Aircraft Maintenance Technicians make commercial, government/private airplanes, and helicopters safe for their crew and passengers. They ensure that aircrafts meet Federal Aviation Regulations.
Aircraft technicians and aircraft maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Technician | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $50,212 | $53,026 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $69,000 | Between $37,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Aviation Technology Group | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Government |
There are a few differences between an aircraft technician and an aircraft maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Technician | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aviation |
| Most common college | SUNY Farmingdale | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between aircraft technicians' and aircraft maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Aircraft Technician | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.1% Female, 5.9% | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.4% Asian, 6.8% White, 54.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |