Occupation salary profile

Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

SOC 49-3011 BLS OEWS May 2025 H-1B LCAs, last 12 months

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines and assemblies, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Excludes “Avionics Technicians” (49-2091).

National median · BLS
$79,870
▲ +1.51% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
$58,240
▲ +1.82% YoY · 73 LCAs
Average salary · BLS
$84,740
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
138,090
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation; H-1B covers 73 certified Labor Condition Applications filed by sponsoring employers in the last 12 months.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS) H-1B sponsored
10th — entry pay$48,780$49,920
25th$62,630$54,080
Median (50th)$79,870$58,240
75th$99,130$66,560
90th — top pay$128,890$70,654
H-1B sponsors pay a median of $58,240 for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians — 27.1% below the BLS national median of $79,870.

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

BLS projects employment of aircraft mechanics and service technicians to grow 5.4% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 11,400 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
140,000 → 147,600
+7,500 jobs
Projected change
+5.4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
11,400
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
No related experience required
Self-employed
0.8% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a postsecondary certificate (nondegree award) →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

H-1B sponsored pay

Pay by H-1B wage level

Employers assign every H-1B filing a Department of Labor prevailing-wage level, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). Pay rises steeply with level.

H-1B median $58,240
Change vs prior year +1.82%
After inflation (CPI-U) -1.27%
Wage level LCAs Share P25 Median P75
Level I 31 42.5% $52,000 $54,080 $56,295
Level II 40 54.8% $58,240 $64,688 $68,640
H-1B job titles

Salaries by job title in Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

The 2 most-filed job titles inside SOC 49-3011, from 73 H-1B filings. Seniority words and level numbers are grouped (“Senior Data Engineer II” counts as Data Engineer). Tap a title for its full range, wage levels and the exact titles employers used.

Job title LCAs Share P25 Median P75 YoY
Aircraft Mechanic 38 52.05% $58,240 $63,856 $68,640 +9.64%
Aeronautical Scientific Technician 26 35.62% $50,500 $54,080 $56,748 +0%

Titles are cleaned from the employer's own LCA text (codes and typos removed, nothing invented). Rows need 10+ filings in this SOC.

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Equipment Maintenance4.9
  • Repairing4.9
  • Troubleshooting4.5
  • Operations Monitoring4.3
  • Reading Comprehension4.1
  • Critical Thinking4.0
  • Complex Problem Solving3.9
  • Operation and Control3.8
  • Quality Control Analysis3.8
  • Monitoring3.6
Top knowledge areas
  • Mechanical4.7
  • Public Safety and Security3.8
  • Engineering and Technology3.8
  • English Language3.7
  • Transportation3.7
  • Education and Training3.3
  • Mathematics3.2
  • Computers and Electronics3.1
Software and technology used
Microsoft Office softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordSAP softwareAccess Software AIRPAXCaseBank SpotLightComputerized aircraft log manager CALMDatcoMedia EBisDisassembler softwareEngine analysis softwareMaintenance information databasesMaintenance planning softwareMaintenance record softwareMxi Technologies MaintenixOperational Data Store ODS software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What aircraft mechanics and service technicians do

  • 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.
Also called
Aircraft Maintenance Technician (Aircraft Maintenance Tech)Aircraft MechanicAircraft Technician (Aircraft Tech)Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A and P Mechanic)Aircraft MaintainerAircraft RestorerAircraft Service Technician (Aircraft Service Tech)Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT)Aviation MechanicHelicopter Mechanic
More job titles for this occupation (68)
Aerospace Propulsion Jet Engine MechanicAircraft AC Mechanic (Aircraft Air Conditioning Mechanic)Aircraft Accessories MechanicAircraft Avionics Technician (Aircraft Avionics Tech)Aircraft Body and Bonded Structure RepairerAircraft Cylinder MechanicAircraft ElectricianAircraft Engine MechanicAircraft Engine SpecialistAircraft Engine Technician (Aircraft Engine Tech)Aircraft Equipment RepairerAircraft Magneto MechanicAircraft Motor MechanicAircraft Pneudraulics RepairerAircraft Powertrain RepairerAircraft Rigging and Controls MechanicAircraft Sheet Metal MechanicAircraft Steel FabricatorAircraft Structural RepairerAircraft Structures MechanicAircraft WorkerAircraft X-Ray Examiner (Aircraft X-Radiation Examiner)Airframe and Powerplant Technician (A and P Tech)Airframe MechanicAirframe Technician (Airframe Tech)Airline MechanicAirplane MechanicAirplane RiggerAirplane Technician (Airplane Tech)Airplane TesterAviation Support Equipment RepairerCarburetor ExpertCarburetor SpecialistDinkey Engine MechanicEngine InstallerEnginemanExperimental Aircraft MechanicExperimental Rocketsled MechanicFAA Certified Powerplant Mechanic (Federal Aviation Administration Certified Powerplant Mechanic)Flight Test MechanicFlight Test Shop MechanicFuel System Maintenance WorkerGSE Tech (Ground Support Equipment Technician)Heat and Vent Aircraft MechanicHelicopter Engine MechanicHelicopter RepairerHydraulic MechanicIgnition MechanicJet Aircraft ServicerJet Engine MechanicJet MechanicLanding Gear MechanicLaunching Pad MechanicMagneto ElectricianMechanical Developer ProverMissile MechanicPneudraulic Systems MechanicPowerplant MechanicPreflight MechanicPropeller MechanicPropeller-Driven Airplane MechanicRocket Engine Component MechanicRocket Engine MechanicRotor Blade InstallerStructures MechanicSupercharger MechanicUtility Helicopter RepairerVacuum System Tester

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.