BLS May 2025
Aircraft Mechanic Salary by State
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (SOC 49-3011) earned a median of $79,870 a year in the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 estimates, and the middle 80 percent earned between $48,780 and $128,890. 138,090 wage and salary jobs sit behind those figures, and the highest state median is $105,370 in New Jersey.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group
At a Glance
- $79,870 median annual wage for aircraft mechanics and service technicians (SOC 49-3011), BLS May 2025, or $38.40 an hour.
- $48,780 to $128,890 from the 10th to the 90th percentile.
- 138,090 jobs in the occupation, wage and salary workers only.
- New Jersey has the highest state median at $105,370; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ leads the metropolitan areas at $127,140.
Aircraft Mechanic Salary Percentiles
Annual wages for aircraft mechanics and service technicians (SOC 49-3011) across the United States, BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles are points in the wage distribution, not stages of a career, so the 10th percentile is not a starting salary.
| Measure | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,780 |
| 25th percentile | $62,630 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $79,870 |
| 75th percentile | $99,130 |
| 90th percentile | $128,890 |
| Mean | $84,740 |
| Median hourly wage | $38.40 |
| Wage and salary jobs | 138,090 |
Aircraft Mechanic Salary by State
The ten highest state medians for aircraft mechanics and service technicians show where a aircraft mechanic salary runs highest, among states with at least 500 jobs in the occupation. The states with the most jobs are Texas (16,850), Florida (14,850), California (12,590) and Oklahoma (8,550).
| State | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $105,370 | 1,900 |
| New York | $102,800 | 4,300 |
| Maryland | $100,500 | 1,070 |
| Washington | $98,980 | 4,480 |
| Connecticut | $96,830 | 1,430 |
| Nevada | $94,890 | 2,570 |
| Massachusetts | $93,040 | 1,410 |
| Alaska | $91,150 | 1,470 |
| Hawaii | $90,830 | 1,150 |
| California | $86,100 | 12,590 |
State pages carry the percentiles, the metropolitan areas and the five trades side by side for each of the 50 states, starting from the salary hub.
Aircraft Mechanic Salary by Metro Area
The ten highest medians among the metropolitan areas with at least 500 jobs in the occupation. A metropolitan area that crosses state lines has one figure for the whole area.
| Metropolitan area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $127,140 | 5,110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $103,900 | 3,950 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $100,940 | 580 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $100,610 | 2,090 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $98,300 | 2,770 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $94,920 | 8,000 |
| Anchorage, AK | $94,120 | 1,010 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $93,910 | 1,440 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $93,400 | 940 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $93,280 | 1,220 |
The largest metropolitan areas by jobs are Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (8,000 jobs, median $94,920), Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL (6,460 jobs, median $78,260), New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (5,110 jobs, median $127,140) and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (5,020 jobs, median $83,250).
Aircraft Mechanic Salary Compared With Other Trades
The aircraft mechanic salary beside the other four mechanic trades, each its own BLS occupation, May 2025.
| Trade | Median | 10th to 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto Mechanic SOC 49-3023 | $50,620 | $34,660 to $81,790 | 704,640 |
| Diesel Mechanic SOC 49-3031 | $61,770 | $44,530 to $88,740 | 289,960 |
| Aircraft Mechanic SOC 49-3011 | $79,870 | $48,780 to $128,890 | 138,090 |
| Collision Repair Technician SOC 49-3021 | $54,890 | $36,910 to $87,940 | 149,310 |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic SOC 49-3042 | $65,510 | $46,820 to $94,460 | 176,600 |
What Shapes an Aircraft Mechanic Salary
BLS says aircraft mechanics may work 8-hour or 10-hour shifts, including nights, weekends and holidays. OEWS wages are straight-time gross pay, so premium pay for those shifts is not in the median.
The FAA requires aircraft maintenance to be done either by a certified mechanic with the appropriate ratings or by someone working under the supervision of such a mechanic. Employers may prefer mechanics who hold both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings.
Training and Career Guide for Aircraft Mechanic
The aircraft mechanic career guide covers what the job is, the training routes and the credentials that apply. The accredited programs that train for it are ranked on this site.
From the blog: Aviation Mechanic Graduate Earnings by State.
Questions About Aircraft Mechanic Salary
How much does an aircraft mechanic make?
BLS reports a May 2025 median of $79,870 a year for aircraft mechanics and service technicians (SOC 49-3011), or $38.40 an hour. The mean is $84,740. That is $29,250 above the median for automotive service technicians.
What is the lowest and highest pay for aircraft mechanics?
BLS reports pay by percentile rather than by years of experience. In May 2025, the lowest-paid tenth of aircraft mechanics and service technicians earned under $48,780 and the highest-paid tenth earned over $128,890. The 10th percentile is the occupation's low end, not a starting salary.
What is the average aircraft mechanic salary?
The median aircraft mechanic salary in the BLS May 2025 estimates is $79,870 a year, the middle of the distribution, and the mean is $84,740.
Which state pays aircraft mechanics the most?
Among states with at least 500 jobs in the occupation, New Jersey has the highest May 2025 median for aircraft mechanics and service technicians, $105,370, followed by New York ($102,800) and Maryland ($100,500).
Do the figures include self-employed aircraft mechanics?
No. OEWS counts wage and salary jobs only, and BLS says its survey does not include the self-employed.
Sources for Aircraft Mechanic Salary Data
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians May 2025 national, state and metropolitan estimates, read October 23, 2026.
- BLS OEWS technical notes The survey covers wage and salary workers and not the self-employed.
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