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Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager Salary in the United States

How much does an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager in the United States is $127,500 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $61.

However, an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $144,885
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $116,100 to $136,600
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $105,721

Key Factors That Influence Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager Salaries

An Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Aircraft Maintenance Engineer III (4-7 years): $102,633
  • Aircraft Maintenance Engineer IV (7+ years): $120,959
  • Aircraft Maintenance Engineer V (7-10 years): $139,516
  • Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager (10+ years): $127,500
  • Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Senior Manager (10+ years): $160,403
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer III4-7 years$102,633
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer IV7+ years$120,959
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer V7-10 years$139,516
Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager10+ years$127,500
Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Senior Manager10+ years$160,403

Top Paying Cities for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Managers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $160,900
  • San Francisco: $159,100
  • Oakland: $155,800

What Skills Can Increase an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 6.55% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
  • Square (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): Square in geometry, a plane figure with four equal sides and four right (90°) angles. A square is a special kind of rectangle and a special kind of parallelogram.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 6.55%
Continuous Improvement 1.79%
Square 1.79%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager's salary.

  • Capacity Management: Can increase your salary by up to 32%.
  • Internal Audit: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Customer Satisfaction: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Capacity Management $168,300
32%
Internal Audit $147,900
16%
Customer Satisfaction $142,800
12%

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $141,346. While startup companies pay approximate $119,779.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $119,779
Growth Stage 51~500 $126,611
Established 501~5000 $136,551
Enterprise 5000+ $141,346

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager positions in MFG Nondurable or MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$165,750$80.030%
Aerospace & Defense$153,000$74.020%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$140,250$67.010%

How Education impacts an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Managers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $152,234 and $161,385).

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.2%
High School 28.7%
Associates 23.5%
Bachelors 34.6%
Masters 11.0%
Doctorate 0.0%

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$116,100
Average $127,500/year
$136,600
$9,675
Average $10,625/month
$11,383
$2,233
Average $2,452/week
$2,627
$56
Average $61/hour
$66
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $136,600 $11,383 $2,627 $66
Average $127,500 $10,625 $2,452 $61
25th Percentile $116,100 $9,675 $2,233 $56

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager Salary Growth & Career Path

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Senior Manager $160,500 26%
Aerospace Aviation Maintenance Engineering Senior Manager $166,400 31%

Most common benefits for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager

Here are companies hiring for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager?

The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

2. How much does a Lockheed Martin aircraft maintenance engineer earn?

The salary for an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager typically ranges from $145,000 to $180,800, with a mid-point of $160,500. This reflects a more specialized role compared to the average Aircraft Maintenance Support Engineer, which is estimated at $123,034 per year.

3. What is the salary of Ame in Dubai?

The salary for an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager in Dubai ranges from AED 145,000 to AED 180,800 annually, with a mid-salary of AED 160,500. This reflects the competitive nature of the aviation industry in the region, aligning with the reported salaries for similar roles across the Gulf.

4. What is the highest salary for Aircraft Maintenance Engineer?

The highest salary for an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager is ₹18.08 Lakhs per year (₹1.51 Lakhs per month). This role typically offers a salary range with a minimum of ₹14.5 Lakhs and a midpoint of ₹16.05 Lakhs annually, reflecting the expertise and responsibilities involved in aircraft maintenance management.

5. Can aircraft mechanics make 100k?

Salary Potential: While entry-level aircraft mechanics may earn around $40,000, experienced Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Managers can expect salaries ranging from $145,000 to $180,800, with a mid-salary of $160,500. Thus, it is indeed possible for skilled professionals in this field to earn well over $100,000.

6. How much does a director of aircraft maintenance make?

How much does an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager make? The salary for this position ranges from a minimum of $145,000 to a maximum of $180,800, with a mid-point salary of $160,500 annually. This reflects the specialized skills and responsibilities associated with managing aircraft maintenance operations.

7. Can you make 6 figures as an A&P mechanic?

Yes, you can make six figures as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Manager. Salaries in this field range from a minimum of $145,000 to a mid-level of $160,500, with the potential to earn up to $180,800. Working for major airlines or cargo operations can significantly boost your earnings, allowing you to surpass the $100,000 mark within a few years.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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