Aircraft Mechanic

What it pays in the U.S.

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul aircraft engines and assemblies, such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems.

Wage figures are 2025 survey data for United States, shown nationally because no state figure was reported. They describe what people in this job earn now, not what any one person will be offered.

What the work actually is

• Inspect airframes for wear or other defects.
• Prepare and paint aircraft surfaces.
• Maintain, repair, and rebuild aircraft structures, functional components, and parts, such as wings and fuselage, rigging, hydraulic units, oxygen systems, fuel systems, electrical systems, gaskets, or seals.
• Clean, refuel, and change oil in line service aircraft.
• Communicate with other workers to coordinate fitting and alignment of heavy parts, or to facilitate processing of repair parts.
• Install and align repaired or replacement parts for subsequent riveting or welding, using clamps and wrenches.

Read the full Occupational Outlook Handbook entry from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Licensing, by state

Licensing is set by each state, so there is no national answer. Choose a state above to see which licenses it requires for this career, or look one up with the CareerOneStop License Finder.

Certifications employers recognize

These are national certifications, issued by industry bodies rather than a state. Most are optional, but they are how you prove skill to an employer.

• Basic Electricity and Electronics Certification - Direct Current

  Certifying Technical Employee Competence (CertTEC) · Core

• Fluid Power Support Associate

  International Fluid Power Society · Advanced

• CertTEC Aviation Structures certification

  Certifying Technical Employee Competence (CertTEC) · Core

• CertTEC Advanced Electricity and Electronics Certification

  Certifying Technical Employee Competence (CertTEC) · Advanced

• CertTEC Aviation Structures Level 2 certification

  Certifying Technical Employee Competence (CertTEC) · Advanced

• CertTEC Basic Composites certification

  Certifying Technical Employee Competence (CertTEC) · Core

• Aviation Powerplant Mechanic

  Federal Aviation Administration · Specialty

• Basic Electricity and Electronics - Analog

  Certifying Technical Employee Competence (CertTEC) · Core

• Basic Electricity and Electronics - Digital

  Certifying Technical Employee Competence (CertTEC) · Core

• CertTEC Aviation Mechanical Assembly certification

  Certifying Technical Employee Competence (CertTEC) · Core

• Repairman (Aircraft)

  Federal Aviation Administration · Advanced

• Basic Electricity and Electronics - Alternating Current

  Certifying Technical Employee Competence (CertTEC) · Core

Apprenticeships, by state

Registered apprenticeships pay you while you train. Each state runs its own registration office, which is where to start when you want to find an open program.

Choose a state above to see the offices that register apprenticeships there.

Search open programs directly at apprenticeship.gov.