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The differences between power plant 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 a power plant technician and an aircraft maintenance technician. Additionally, an aircraft maintenance technician has an average salary of $53,026, which is higher than the $46,681 average annual salary of a power plant technician.
The top three skills for a power plant technician include plant equipment, preventive maintenance and gearboxes. The most important skills for an aircraft maintenance technician are FAA, airframe, and powerplant.
| Power Plant Technician | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $46,681 | $53,026 |
| Hourly rate | $22.44 | $25.49 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 36,418 | 105,268 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Power plant technicians, paid at an average of $790K per year, must have skills in concentration, dexterity, mechanics, and problem-solving. They will need a high school diploma or GED at the very least, though some employers do prefer a college or vocational school degree, as well as strong math and science backgrounds. Those who choose this career will be called on to controlling and monitoring -power plant equipment, like boilers, turbines, and generators.
Aircraft Maintenance Technicians make commercial, government/private airplanes, and helicopters safe for their crew and passengers. They ensure that aircrafts meet Federal Aviation Regulations.
Power plant technicians and aircraft maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Power Plant Technician | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $46,681 | $53,026 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $71,000 | Between $37,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Nevada |
| Best paying company | - | Citi |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a power plant technician and an aircraft maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Power Plant Technician | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aviation |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between power plant technicians' and aircraft maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Power Plant Technician | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.2% Female, 4.8% | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 55.4% 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% |