Aircraft Mechanic Salary (2025)
Automotive · SOC Code 49-3011 · 2-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
Aircraft Mechanic salaries range from $63,063 to $103,202 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Aircraft Mechanic Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $103,202 | $66,010 – $147,869 | $54,317 | C | 11,104 |
| New York, NY | $98,834 | $58,959 – $148,561 | $52,852 | C | 11,658 |
| Seattle, WA | $92,901 | $59,058 – $141,084 | $62,350 | C | 6,003 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $87,905 | $55,047 – $124,192 | $76,439 | B | 5,685 |
| Boston, MA | $85,928 | $54,667 – $129,330 | $56,532 | C | 11,511 |
| Chicago, IL | $82,252 | $49,859 – $125,585 | $76,871 | B | 5,530 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $81,379 | $52,129 – $124,739 | $76,773 | B | 3,492 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $81,080 | $50,618 – $124,286 | $48,843 | C | 11,422 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $80,157 | $50,072 – $115,218 | $77,074 | B | 5,180 |
| Detroit, MI | $80,116 | $50,514 – $113,603 | $90,018 | B | 4,371 |
| Dallas, TX | $77,288 | $45,745 – $119,163 | $75,773 | B | 6,032 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $76,681 | $48,447 – $113,928 | $73,732 | B | 5,026 |
| Portland, OR | $75,441 | $48,211 – $106,462 | $58,032 | C | 3,971 |
| Atlanta, GA | $75,170 | $48,552 – $114,943 | $70,915 | C | 5,088 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $74,970 | $48,185 – $110,038 | $78,094 | B | 3,465 |
| Houston, TX | $73,672 | $46,391 – $111,797 | $76,742 | B | 2,620 |
| Kansas City, MO | $73,390 | $47,585 – $107,939 | $78,074 | B | 3,684 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $73,310 | $43,547 – $111,835 | $79,685 | B | 3,763 |
| Miami, FL | $73,203 | $47,327 – $109,425 | $60,002 | C | 3,593 |
| Denver, CO | $72,166 | $43,316 – $111,374 | $56,380 | C | 5,288 |
| Nashville, TN | $71,509 | $44,863 – $107,847 | $69,426 | C | 4,562 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $71,059 | $45,631 – $100,396 | $68,989 | C | 3,882 |
| Raleigh, NC | $70,706 | $43,475 – $105,465 | $70,706 | C | 4,443 |
| Tampa, FL | $69,545 | $41,160 – $100,932 | $68,856 | C | 3,461 |
| Charlotte, NC | $68,730 | $41,787 – $103,061 | $70,133 | C | 3,857 |
| New Orleans, LA | $66,314 | $40,858 – $101,977 | $69,804 | C | 3,905 |
| St. Louis, MO | $65,997 | $42,378 – $98,412 | $73,330 | C | 3,181 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $64,108 | $40,271 – $99,223 | $70,448 | C | 4,011 |
| Columbus, OH | $63,513 | $38,245 – $97,444 | $68,294 | C | 4,589 |
| San Antonio, TX | $63,063 | $37,281 – $94,444 | $70,070 | C | 4,391 |
About Aircraft Mechanic Pay
Aircraft Mechanics earn a national median salary of $76,453 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $103,202 median, while San Antonio offers the lowest at $63,063.
Becoming a aircraft mechanic typically requires a 2-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $66,010, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $147,869 or more. With 10% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing faster than average.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Related Automotive Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for aircraft mechanics is $76,453 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $63,063 to $103,202 depending on city, experience, and union status.
San Francisco offers the highest median pay for aircraft mechanics at $103,202. However, cost of living matters — the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 10% wage growth over 5 years, aircraft mechanic is growing faster than many occupations. There are approximately 158,768 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a aircraft mechanic typically requires a 2-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $66,010 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.