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The differences between aircraft technicians and senior 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 technician and a senior mechanic. Additionally, a senior mechanic has an average salary of $51,569, 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 a senior mechanic are hand tools, preventive maintenance, and HVAC.
| Aircraft Technician | Senior Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $50,212 | $51,569 |
| Hourly rate | $24.14 | $24.79 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 28,265 | 85,706 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Average age | 40 | 49 |
| 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.
A senior mechanic builds machines or mechanical components based on client specifications and requirements. As a senior mechanic, you will perform a variety of duties that include performing technical inspections on corrective maintenance, vehicle armor and services, monitoring and supporting day-to-day facility and production operations, and troubleshooting problems. Additionally, you will perform preventative maintenance on equipment, generators, and vehicles, and conducting research on parts repair. You will also perform various custodial and maintenance duties as requested.
Aircraft technicians and senior mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aircraft Technician | Senior Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $50,212 | $51,569 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $69,000 | Between $37,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Roseville, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Aviation Technology Group | Orange County Sanitation District |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Energy |
There are a few differences between an aircraft technician and a senior mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Aircraft Technician | Senior Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | SUNY Farmingdale | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between aircraft technicians' and senior mechanics' demographics:
| Aircraft Technician | Senior Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.1% Female, 5.9% | Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0% |
| 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, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 2.1% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 4% |