Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians in the United States earn a median salary of $79,870 per year — about $38 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 161K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +5%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core of this occupation involves physical labor, manual dexterity, and real-time troubleshooting in a physical environment, which provides a strong barrier against AI automation. While AI will significantly enhance diagnostic capabilities, predictive maintenance, and the interpretation of flight data, the actual repair, assembly, and FAA-regulated physical inspections must still be performed by human technicians.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJBEST VALUE | $127,140 | Above avg (112.6) | $112,868 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $101,660 | Average (101.0) | $100,673 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $92,180 | Below avg (91.9) | $100,253 |
| Lafayette, LA | $87,630 | Below avg (87.6) | $100,088 |
| Hammond, LA | $87,170 | Below avg (87.8) | $99,234 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $101,590 | Average (102.4) | $99,192 |
| Bismarck, ND | $88,570 | Below avg (89.4) | $99,123 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $100,610 | Average (102.5) | $98,170 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $100,500 | Average (102.7) | $97,838 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $98,300 | Average (100.5) | $97,829 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $100,940 | Above avg (103.2) | $97,825 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $85,700 | Below avg (88.9) | $96,433 |
| Yuba City, CA | $97,240 | Above avg (103.8) | $93,700 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $91,940 | Average (98.3) | $93,543 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $91,600 | Average (98.4) | $93,132 |
Education & Requirements
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