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Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician Major

Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician

1,160 Associates's Degrees Annually
20 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
#37 in Popularity (Associate's)
$55,530 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many airframe mechanics & aircraft maintenance technology/technician graduations there were in 2021-2022 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Undergraduate Certificate 4,562
Associate Degree 1,598
Basic Certificate 967
Bachelor’s Degree 16

What Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, airframe mechanics and aircraft maintenance technology/technician majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

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  • Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Skills for Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician Majors

A major in airframe mechanics and aircraft maintenance technology/technician prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

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  • Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
  • Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Abilities for Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician Majors

A major in airframe mechanics and aircraft maintenance technology/technician will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

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  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

What Can You Do With a Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with airframe mechanics and aircraft maintenance technology/technician:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians 4.9% $62,920

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician?

1,598 Associate's Degrees Annually
11% Percent Women
43% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This major attracts more men than women. About 89% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of airframe mechanics and aircraft maintenance technology/technician majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 120
Black or African American 116
Hispanic or Latino 382
White 734
International Students 81
Other Races/Ethnicities 165

Geographic Diversity

Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician appeals to people across the globe. About 5.1% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $55,530 to $65,230 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to airframe mechanics and aircraft maintenance technology/technician. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for an Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician Major  ( 55530 to 65230 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with airframe mechanics and aircraft maintenance technology/technician may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to airframe mechanics and aircraft maintenance technology/technician have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 1.7%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 34.5%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 37.6%
Some College Courses 0.3%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 17.3%
Bachelor’s Degree 9.3%

Online Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 86 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 51 0
Associate’s Degree 90 0
Bachelor’s Degree 0 0
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 0 0
Post-Master’s 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician Worth It?

The median salary for a airframe mechanics and aircraft maintenance technology/technician grad is $55,530 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 39% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $312,600 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to airframe mechanics and aircraft maintenance technology/technician.

Major Number of Grads
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician 33,827
Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician 8,686
Autobody/Collision & Repair Technology/Technician 4,725
Aircraft Powerplant Technology/Technician 2,739
Medium/Heavy Vehicle & Truck Technology/Technician 2,101
Motorcycle Maintenance & Repair Technology/Technician 1,140
Marine Maintenance/Fitter & Ship Repair Technology/Technician 823
Avionics Maintenance Technology/Technician 724
High Performance & Custom Engine Technician/Mechanic 489
General Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Technologies 472
Small Engine Mechanics & Repair Technology/Technician 213
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Technology/Technician 147
Engine Machinist 107
Other Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Technologies 97
Bicycle Mechanics & Repair Technology/Technician 11
Recreation Vehicle (RV) Service Technician 7

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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