Aircraft Maintenance Tech Salary in the United States

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

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for an Aircraft Maintenance Tech in the United States is $68,824 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $33.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $81,456
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $61,350 to $75,436
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $54,546

Key Factors That Influence Aircraft Maintenance Tech Salaries

An Aircraft Maintenance Tech'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 Tech Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Aircraft Maintenance Tech'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $69,343
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $81,422
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $93,929
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $117,509
  • Expert (over 8 years): $150,639
Levels Salary
Aircraft ... Level Aircraft Maintenance Tech$69,343
Paralegal... Level Aircraft Maintenance Tech$81,422
Paralegal... Level Aircraft Maintenance Tech$93,929
Paralegal... Level Aircraft Maintenance Tech$117,509
Paralegal... Level Aircraft Maintenance Tech$150,639

How Do Aircraft Maintenance Tech Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Aircraft Maintenance Teches. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $76,201.
  • California: $75,912.
  • Massachusetts: $74,901.

Top Paying Cities for Aircraft Maintenance Teches

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: $86,807
  • San Francisco: $85,857
  • Oakland: $84,047

What Skills Can Increase an Aircraft Maintenance Tech's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Scheduling (Mentioned in 3.97% Job Postings): Scheduling is the process of arranging, controlling and optimizing work and workloads in a production process or manufacturing process.
  • Microsoft Word (Mentioned in 2.28% Job Postings): Microsoft Word or MS Word is a popular word-processing program used mainly for creating documents, such as brochures, letters, learning activities, quizzes, tests, and students' homework assignments
  • Adobe (Mentioned in 1.13% Job Postings): A mixture of wet earth and grass made into bricks and dried in the sun, used to build houses. It originated from the oral form of Arabic al-tob, meaning "brick," It is the first materials used to create buildings in the 8th century B.C
Skills Demand Percentage
Scheduling 3.97%
Microsoft Word 2.28%
Adobe 1.13%

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 Tech's salary.

  • Corporate Governance: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Intellectual Property: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Corporate Governance $75,018
9%
Intellectual Property $74,329
8%
Leadership $73,641
7%

Aircraft Maintenance Tech Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Aircraft Maintenance Tech roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Aircraft Maintenance Tech positions in Hospitality & Leisure or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Aircraft Maintenance Tech as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Aircraft Maintenance Tech

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$86,030$41.025%
Aerospace & Defense$82,588$40.020%
Energy & Utilities$79,147$38.015%
Chemicals$75,706$36.010%
Internet$75,706$36.010%

How Education impacts an Aircraft Maintenance Tech's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Aircraft Maintenance Teches enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate 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 Tech with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $63,649 and $68,114).

Aircraft Maintenance Tech Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Aircraft Maintenance Tech
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.5%
High School 17.1%
Associates 28.5%
Bachelors 46.3%
Masters 4.4%
Doctorate 3.1%

Aircraft Maintenance Tech Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Aircraft Maintenance Tech'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 October 01, 2026
$61,350
Average $68,824/year
$75,436
$5,113
Average $5,735/month
$6,286
$1,180
Average $1,324/week
$1,451
$29
Average $33/hour
$36
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $75,436 $6,286 $1,451 $36
Average $68,824 $5,735 $1,324 $33
25th Percentile $61,350 $5,113 $1,180 $29

Most common benefits for Aircraft Maintenance Tech

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

Common company salaries for Aircraft Maintenance Tech

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

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FAQ about Aircraft Maintenance Tech

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

The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Aircraft Maintenance Tech roles, with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.

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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