Weapons mechanic vs aircraft mechanic

The differences between weapons mechanics and aircraft mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an aircraft mechanic has an average salary of $60,496, which is higher than the $57,259 average annual salary of a weapons mechanic.

The top three skills for a weapons mechanic include hand tools, fuel systems and landing gear. The most important skills for an aircraft mechanic are hand tools, airframe, and FAA.

Weapons mechanic vs aircraft mechanic overview

	Weapons Mechanic	Aircraft Mechanic
Yearly salary	$57,259	$60,496
Hourly rate	$27.53	$29.08
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	33,710	35,667
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	Associate Degree, 38%
Average age	43	40
Years of experience	-	4

Weapons mechanic vs aircraft mechanic salary

Weapons mechanics and aircraft mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Weapons Mechanic	Aircraft Mechanic
Average salary	$57,259	$60,496
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $81,000	Between $41,000 And $87,000
Highest paying City	-	Newport News, VA
Highest paying state	-	Maryland
Best paying company	-	AECOM
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between weapons mechanic and aircraft mechanic education

There are a few differences between a weapons mechanic and an aircraft mechanic in terms of educational background:

	Weapons Mechanic	Aircraft Mechanic
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	Associate Degree, 38%
Most common major	Business	Aviation
Most common college	New York University	Purdue University

Weapons mechanic vs aircraft mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between weapons mechanics' and aircraft mechanics' demographics:

	Weapons Mechanic	Aircraft Mechanic
Average age	43	40
Gender ratio	Male, 94.3% Female, 5.7%	Male, 93.1% Female, 6.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 3.2% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 6.6% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	4%	2%

Differences between weapons mechanic and aircraft mechanic duties and responsibilities

Weapons mechanic example responsibilities.

Load and unload non-nuclear munitions, explosives, and ammunition on aircraft.
Apply technical knowledge of airframe systems in determining equipment malfunctions and apply required expertise in restoring equipment condition to operating status.
Repair microprocessor base electronic systems.

Aircraft mechanic example responsibilities.

Work from SRM, TRM, AMM, EO and various other aircraft documentation to accomplish repair objectives.
Perform scheduled maintenance tasks in accordance with manufacturer and FAA guidelines.
Conduce problem analysis, correction/repairs and operational checks of aircraft avionics, electrical, propulsion and hydraulic systems.
Train in OSHA and HAZMAT.
Change cables and pulleys command.
Obtain and continue MSHA training.

Weapons mechanic vs aircraft mechanic skills

Common weapons mechanic skills

Hand Tools, 31%
Fuel Systems, 15%
Landing Gear, 12%
Test Equipment, 10%
Aircraft Maintenance, 6%
Functional Checks, 6%

Common aircraft mechanic skills

Hand Tools, 11%
Airframe, 6%
FAA, 5%
Aircraft Systems, 5%
Landing Gear, 5%
Technical Data, 4%

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Installation, Maintenance and Repair Industry
Weapons Mechanic
Weapons Mechanic vs Aircraft Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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