Avionics Technician vs Aircraft Mechanic: pay, outlook, education and work, side by side.
Every row comes from one named source and says which career leads on that one dimension. There is no overall score.
Avionics Technician vs Aircraft Mechanic: BLS classifies them as different occupations (SOC 49-2091 and 49-3011). The national median annual wage is $82,280 for avionics technicians and $79,870 for aircraft mechanics (BLS, May 2025). BLS projects national employment to change +9.4% for avionics technicians and +5.4% for aircraft mechanics from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award vs Postsecondary nondegree award. Which fits better depends on what you value; the table shows who leads on each dimension, with no overall winner.
Side by side
Data Differences smaller than a stated threshold read “About the same” (pay 5%, growth 2 points, openings 10%, one education level, ORS 10 points, O*NET 0.2).
Pick what matters to you; the matching rows are highlighted. Nothing is combined into a score.
| Dimension · source | Avionics TechnicianSOC 49-2091 | Aircraft MechanicSOC 49-3011 | Leads on this dimension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wageBLS OEWS, May 2025 (national) | $82,280 | $79,870 | About the same |
| EmploymentBLS OEWS, May 2025 | 18,830 | 138,090 | Not ranked |
| Projected employment change, 2025–35BLS Employment Projections (national) | +9.4% | +5.4% | Avionics Technician |
| Projected numeric change in jobs, 2025–35BLS Employment Projections (national) · A count, not a rate: it scales with the size of the occupation. | +1,900 jobs | +7,500 jobs | Not ranked |
| Projected openings (annual average)BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35 | 1,700 a year | 11,400 a year | Aircraft Mechanic |
| Typical entry-level educationBLS Employment Projections · typical, not a legal requirement | Postsecondary nondegree award | Postsecondary nondegree award | About the same |
| Typical work experience in a related occupationBLS Employment Projections | None | None | About the same |
| Typical on-the-job trainingBLS Employment Projections | None | None | Not ranked |
| Pressure level (O*NET, 1–5; lower = less)O*NET® 31.0 work context | 2.89 | 3.14 | Avionics Technician |
| Social-contact level (O*NET, 1–5)O*NET® 31.0 work context · not ranked: neither direction is better | 3.57 | 4.09 | Not ranked |
| Freedom to make decisions (O*NET, 1–5)O*NET® 31.0 work context | 3.90 | 3.97 | About the same |
| Work styles O*NET rates most importantO*NET® 31.0 work styles (occupation ratings, not a personality test) | Attention to Detail, Dependability, Cautiousness | Attention to Detail, Dependability, Cautiousness | Not ranked |
Choose based on what matters to you
Data Each line restates a measured difference from the table; nothing here predicts how you will feel about a job.
- faster projected national growth matters (+9.4% vs +5.4%)
- a lower-pressure work environment matters (2.89 vs 3.14)
Which skills each one leans on
Data O*NET 31.0 skill ratings: level (0–7) and importance.
Skill-profile match: 93% (similarity of the two O*NET skill profiles, importance × level; 100% = identical).
- Management of Personnel Resources (+0.4 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
- Science (+0.3 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
- Time Management (+0.2 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
- Negotiation (+0.2 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
- Equipment Maintenance (+1.4 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
- Operation and Control (+1.1 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
- Management of Material Resources (+1.0 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
- Mathematics (+0.8 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
What each career involves
Data Core tasks from O*NET 31.0.
Avionics Technician
- Adjust, repair, or replace malfunctioning components or assemblies, using hand tools or soldering irons.
- Lay out installation of aircraft assemblies and systems, following documentation such as blueprints, manuals, and wiring diagrams.
- Keep records of maintenance and repair work.
- Test and troubleshoot instruments, components, and assemblies, using circuit testers, oscilloscopes, or voltmeters.
Aircraft Mechanic
- 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.
Largest employing industries
Data Share of all jobs in each occupation, BLS Employment Matrix 2025.
Avionics Technician
- Transportation equipment manufacturing (36.2% of all jobs in this occupation)
- Support activities for transportation (29.6% of all jobs in this occupation)
- Professional, scientific, and technical services (8.9% of all jobs in this occupation)
Aircraft Mechanic
- Support activities for transportation (30.5% of all jobs in this occupation)
- Air transportation (26.0% of all jobs in this occupation)
- Transportation equipment manufacturing (18.0% of all jobs in this occupation)
Moving between these careers
Data The comparison shows which; the career-change guides show how.
- Avionics Technician → Aircraft Mechanic: skills to build: Equipment Maintenance, Operation and Control, Management of Material Resources.
- Aircraft Mechanic → Avionics Technician: skills to build: no skill rated half a point higher.
Common questions
Which pays more, Avionics Technician or Aircraft Mechanic?
Which is growing faster?
Which is better?
How this page is built
BLS classifies them as different occupations (SOC 49-2091 and 49-3011). Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025 national median for each occupation's SOC code. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 (growth, numeric change and annual openings are separate metrics). Requirements rows: 2025 preliminary BLS Occupational Requirements Survey, shown only when both roles have detailed-occupation estimates. Work environment: O*NET 31.0 work context. This page includes information from the 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. TryHired has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Searches this page answers include “avionics technician vs aircraft mechanic salary” (Ahrefs, U.S.).
- Any one employer's pay, schedule or culture.
- Job security, ease of hiring or work-life balance: these are not measured here.
- Which career you will prefer: the rows describe the occupations, not you.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025–35 national projections (growth, openings, typical entry-level education and experience).
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey, 2025 estimates (preliminary: two of the third wave's samples, collected August 2023 to July 2025; released January 16, 2026), public domain.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025–35 National Employment Matrix (all jobs, including self-employed).