Typical entry: Postsecondary nondegree award
Aircraft mechanic
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians inspect, maintain, and repair airframes and engines for airlines, cargo carriers, repair stations, and general aviation. The FAA certification is the credential, and airlines pay for shift work and overtime.
By the Degreeless Jobs research deskUpdated Sep 7, 2026Sources: BLS, O*NET
What an aircraft mechanic makes
Median pay, May 2025, United States
$79,870
$38.40 an hour, median
- 25th percentile
- $62,630
- 75th percentile
- $99,130
- 90th percentile
- $128,890
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wages of employed workers, not offers.
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- BLS
- Workers without a bachelor's
- 99%
- O*NET
- Growth, 2025 to 2035
- +5.4%
- BLS projections
- Openings a year
- 11,400
- BLS projections
How people get in without a degree
Attend an FAA Part 147 aviation maintenance school (18 to 24 months) or document 30 months of practical experience (often through the military), then pass the FAA Airframe and Powerplant exams. A high school diploma is the entry requirement.
The work, as O*NET defines it: Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines and assemblies, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems.
The next step
FAA Airframe and Powerplant certification
- Typical cost
- $15,000 to $50,000 at Part 147 schools; exam fees about $1,000; military training is free
- Time to complete
- 18 to 24 months
Costs and durations are ranges gathered from provider and state sources; confirm the current price and your state's rules before you pay anything. Never pay a fee to apply for a job.
Pay by state
Median pay for aircraft mechanics and service technicians by state, May 2025, sorted by annual median. States without a published estimate are omitted.
| State | Hourly median | Annual median | 25th to 75th | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $50.66 | $105,370 | $82,670 to $130,960 | 1,900 |
| New York | $49.42 | $102,800 | $78,380 to $240,310 | 4,300 |
| Maryland | $48.32 | $100,500 | $77,280 to $103,900 | 1,070 |
| Washington | $47.59 | $98,980 | $75,280 to $107,370 | 4,480 |
| Connecticut | $46.55 | $96,830 | $78,010 to $118,710 | 1,430 |
| Nevada | $45.62 | $94,890 | $77,850 to $103,470 | 2,570 |
| Massachusetts | $44.73 | $93,040 | $82,930 to $99,290 | 1,410 |
| Alaska | $43.82 | $91,150 | $77,620 to $104,810 | 1,470 |
| Hawaii | $43.67 | $90,830 | $78,830 to $104,470 | 1,150 |
| California | $41.40 | $86,100 | $68,390 to $99,650 | 12,590 |
| New Mexico | $40.60 | $84,440 | $73,390 to $96,740 | 860 |
| Texas | $40.60 | $84,440 | $69,130 to $99,490 | 16,850 |
| Delaware | $40.17 | $83,550 | $74,610 to $99,900 | 240 |
| Oregon | $39.83 | $82,850 | $66,530 to $97,740 | 1,080 |
| Alabama | $39.55 | $82,260 | $67,190 to $94,970 | 4,310 |
| Virginia | $39.52 | $82,200 | $74,700 to $96,520 | 2,260 |
| Colorado | $39.46 | $82,080 | $75,270 to $103,300 | 2,690 |
| Minnesota | $39.41 | $81,980 | $63,530 to $131,840 | 2,390 |
| Illinois | $39.27 | $81,680 | $57,720 to $126,500 | 3,370 |
| Tennessee | $38.96 | $81,040 | $60,420 to $95,140 | 4,670 |
| Ohio | $38.74 | $80,570 | $66,140 to $97,540 | 2,840 |
| Kansas | $38.59 | $80,270 | $63,680 to $82,720 | 1,440 |
| Louisiana | $38.36 | $79,780 | $65,190 to $91,020 | 1,150 |
| New Hampshire | $38.27 | $79,610 | $69,200 to $91,620 | 190 |
| Pennsylvania | $37.50 | $78,000 | $64,890 to $101,260 | 2,080 |
| North Dakota | $37.38 | $77,740 | $62,440 to $87,210 | 200 |
| North Carolina | $37.01 | $76,980 | $62,720 to $93,670 | 4,700 |
| Florida | $36.99 | $76,940 | $59,660 to $97,430 | 14,850 |
| Vermont | $36.72 | $76,370 | $62,550 to $86,930 | 160 |
| South Dakota | $36.42 | $75,750 | $63,900 to $83,080 | 150 |
| Georgia | $36.36 | $75,640 | $58,870 to $98,300 | 6,720 |
| Arizona | $36.20 | $75,300 | $60,370 to $86,990 | 5,670 |
| South Carolina | $36.13 | $75,160 | $59,360 to $81,980 | 1,660 |
| Michigan | $36.01 | $74,900 | $59,990 to $82,230 | 3,380 |
| Mississippi | $36.00 | $74,880 | $60,010 to $84,370 | 1,360 |
| Oklahoma | $35.77 | $74,390 | $61,130 to $107,700 | 8,550 |
| Wisconsin | $35.54 | $73,930 | $57,780 to $85,060 | 1,270 |
| Missouri | $34.36 | $71,470 | $59,900 to $81,110 | 1,700 |
| Rhode Island | $34.00 | $70,720 | $49,740 to $87,820 | 120 |
| Utah | $33.73 | $70,160 | $60,510 to $80,390 | 2,080 |
| Iowa | $33.60 | $69,890 | $43,720 to $80,510 | 330 |
| Kentucky | $32.65 | $67,920 | $61,420 to $94,920 | 1,680 |
| Maine | $32.64 | $67,890 | $61,350 to $82,780 | 190 |
| Arkansas | $31.45 | $65,420 | $51,210 to $76,400 | 720 |
| Montana | $30.85 | $64,170 | $59,150 to $82,240 | 310 |
| Nebraska | $30.78 | $64,020 | $52,800 to $75,440 | 410 |
| Indiana | $30.48 | $63,400 | $50,810 to $77,670 | 1,500 |
| Idaho | $29.45 | $61,250 | $48,810 to $81,830 | 600 |
| Wyoming | $27.25 | $56,680 | $46,390 to $72,950 | 340 |
| West Virginia | $21.86 | $45,470 | $35,370 to $70,950 | 590 |
Questions
Do you need a degree to be an aircraft mechanic?
No. BLS lists "postsecondary nondegree award" as the typical education for entry, and 99% of workers in the occupation report less than a bachelor's degree (O*NET). The usual credential is FAA Airframe and Powerplant certification.
How much does an aircraft mechanic make?
The median pay was $79,870 a year ($38.40 an hour) in May 2025, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $62,630 and $99,130, and the top 10 percent earned more than $128,890.
How long does it take to become an aircraft mechanic?
18 to 24 months. The typical cost is $15,000 to $50,000 at Part 147 schools; exam fees about $1,000; military training is free.
Is aircraft mechanic work growing?
BLS projects employment to grow 5.4% from 2025 to 2035 with about 11,400 openings a year from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation code 49-3011.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2).
- O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), CC BY 4.0. The share without a bachelor’s degree is our summary of O*NET’s education distribution; USDOL/ETA has not approved or endorsed it.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile