Installation, Maintenance & Repair
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
Also called: Aircraft Maintainer, Aircraft Maintenance Technician (Aircraft Maintenance Tech), Aircraft Mechanic, Aircraft Restorer
US median pay
$79,870
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+5.4%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
11,400
140,000 employed
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines and assemblies, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems.
What they do day to day
- Inspect completed work to certify that maintenance meets standards and that aircraft are ready for operation.
- Read and interpret maintenance manuals, service bulletins, and other specifications to determine the feasibility and method of repairing or replacing malfunctioning or damaged components.
- Maintain repair logs, documenting all preventive and corrective aircraft maintenance.
- Examine and inspect aircraft components, including landing gear, hydraulic systems, and deicers to locate cracks, breaks, leaks, or other problems.
- Conduct routine and special inspections as required by regulations.
- Replace or repair worn, defective, or damaged components, using hand tools, gauges, and testing equipment.
- Inspect airframes for wear or other defects.
- Check for corrosion, distortion, and invisible cracks in the fuselage, wings, and tail, using x-ray and magnetic inspection equipment.
- Measure parts for wear, using precision instruments.
- Remove or install aircraft engines, using hoists or forklift trucks.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Repairing4.9/5
- Equipment Maintenance4.9/5
- Troubleshooting4.5/5
- Operations Monitoring4.2/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.8/5
- Operation and Control3.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5/5
Knowledge
- Mechanical4.7/5
- Public Safety and Security3.8/5
- Engineering and Technology3.8/5
- English Language3.7/5
- Transportation3.7/5
- Education and Training3.3/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): Postsecondary nondegree award.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Post-secondary certificate66%
- Associate's degree15%
- High school diploma10%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.