How much do aircraft mechanics make in 2026?
Aircraft mechanics earn a national median of $79,870 a year ($38.40 an hour) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 for SOC 49-3011, aircraft mechanics and service technicians, with the bottom 10% near $48,780 and the top 10% at $128,890 across 138,090 workers. That is a strong median for a trade with no degree requirement, and it reflects the fact that the work is federally regulated, the certification takes real time to obtain, and the consequences of poor work are severe. Sector explains most of the spread. Major airlines pay at the top, particularly for line maintenance mechanics at hub stations working under union agreements with shift differentials and seniority-based progression. Third-party maintenance and repair organisations doing heavy checks pay less, often considerably, and compete on labour cost. Corporate and business aviation pays well for mechanics who can support a small fleet with broad type knowledge. Regional airlines and general aviation sit at the bottom of the band and are where most mechanics start. Defence and government contract maintenance sits in between and frequently requires a security clearance, which narrows the candidate pool and raises what employers must pay, though no published series isolates the size of that effect. Employment is projected to grow 4% through 2034 with roughly 11,300 openings a year. → Full aircraft mechanic career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $79,870 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Aircraft Mechanics earn a national median $79,870/yr ($38.40/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-3011); the P10 to P90 range is $48,780 to $128,890.
- Major airline line maintenance at hub stations pays at the top of the $48,780 to $128,890 band, with shift differentials and seniority progression under union agreements.
- Third-party heavy maintenance organisations compete on labour cost and pay materially less; regional and general aviation sit at the bottom and are where most mechanics start.
- Defence and government contract maintenance frequently requires a security clearance, which narrows the candidate pool and raises pay, though no published series isolates the size of that effect.
US Aircraft Mechanic Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do aircraft mechanics earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 49-3011; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-3011, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does an aircraft mechanic earn at each career stage?
Aircraft mechanic pay follows certification, sector and seniority within a station. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 49-3011.
By State
Which states pay aircraft mechanics the most in 2026?
These are modeled state estimates — the national aircraft mechanic median scaled by the GlobalCybers state wage index — not BLS state observations. Aviation maintenance employment concentrates around airline hubs, MRO facilities and defence installations rather than distributing by population, so the presence of those employers matters more than the state's wage level.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($91,850), the highest-paying state shown. See all 51 state salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay aircraft mechanics the most?
Modeled metro estimates: the national median scaled by the state wage index and then by that state's published metro index. They estimate local wage levels and are not BLS metropolitan-area observations. Hub airports and major MRO facilities carry the best-paid maintenance work, and it is highly concentrated.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise an aircraft mechanic’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does aircraft mechanic pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Aircraft Mechanics sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify aircraft mechanic wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does an aircraft mechanic actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Aircraft Mechanic Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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