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The differences between aviation maintenance technicians and light wheel mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an aviation maintenance technician, becoming a light wheel mechanic takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an aviation maintenance technician has an average salary of $51,794, which is higher than the $41,948 average annual salary of a light wheel mechanic.
The top three skills for an aviation maintenance technician include electrical troubleshooting, FAA and maintenance procedures. The most important skills for a light wheel mechanic are mechanical problems, electrical systems, and equipment systems.
| Aviation Maintenance Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $51,794 | $41,948 |
| Hourly rate | $24.90 | $20.17 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 102,259 | 90,297 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Average age | 33 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
An Aviation Maintenance Technician carries out repairs and maintenance on all sorts of aircraft, like airplanes and helicopters. They ensure that aircraft are in perfect working condition.
A light wheel mechanic is responsible for maintaining the optimal performance and efficiency of light-wheeled vehicles used for industrial operations, especially in a military setting. Light wheel mechanics inspect the condition of the vehicle's engine, perform preventive maintenance, replace defective components, assemble upgrade systems based on schematics and blueprints, and create resolution reports for reference. They must have excellent knowledge of the auto-mechanic industry to determine faults and identify repairs, avoiding delays, complications, and hazards during operations.
Aviation maintenance technicians and light wheel mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Aviation Maintenance Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $51,794 | $41,948 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $75,000 | Between $25,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an aviation maintenance technician and a light wheel mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Aviation Maintenance Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between aviation maintenance technicians' and light wheel mechanics' demographics:
| Aviation Maintenance Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Average age | 33 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.3% Female, 8.7% | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.7% Hispanic or Latino, 29.3% Asian, 4.9% White, 50.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.5% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 2% |