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Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 49-3011 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$79,872
$38.40/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$49K
P25$63K
P50$80K
P75$99K
P90$129K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
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Demand: STABLE. Demand is stable -- manufacturing openings are at 3.7% (JOLTS, June 2026). A standard market: pay near the median, no urgency premium needed.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in manufacturing are rising about 3.3% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.9-3.4% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $79,872 to $99,133 (market median to the 75th percentile). Anchor on the median.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 1.5% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 3.3% wage growth of Manufacturing (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · STABLE

Manufacturing is running a 3.7% job-openings rate with quits at 1.5% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 3.4% to 3.7% over the past quarter.

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.6 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings eased to 3.7%, with nondurable goods driving the pullback. Quits steady at 1.5%.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.3% per year, holding steady.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians is $79,872 per year ($38.40/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $62,629 and $99,133 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $128,898 per year. There are approximately 138,090 aircraft mechanics and service technicians employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

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

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+4.0%
Faster than average
Annual openings
11K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
139K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
5% from new growth95% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Support Activities for Air Transportation
NAICS 488100
43K$72,910
Scheduled Air Transportation
NAICS 481100
29K$98,300
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
NAICS 336400
25K$82,720
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
12K$76,210
Nonscheduled Air Transportation
NAICS 481200
6K$80,180
Wage range across top 5 industries: $72,910 to $98,300 (35% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$23.45$48,776
P25$30.11$62,629
P50MEDIAN$38.40$79,872
P75$47.66$99,133
P90$61.97$128,898

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.7%
Quits Rate
1.5%

Manufacturing openings eased to 481K (-36K) in June, rate 3.7%, with nondurable goods driving the pullback (-55K). Quits held at 1.5%. The sector remains stable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average aircraft mechanics and service technicians salary?

The national median salary for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians is $79,872 per year ($38.40/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $62,629 and $99,133 annually.

How much do top-earning aircraft mechanics and service technicians make?

The 90th percentile salary for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians is $128,898 per year ($61.97/hr). The 75th percentile is $99,133 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for aircraft mechanics and service technicians?

Entry-level Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (10th percentile) earn approximately $48,776 per year ($23.45/hr). The 25th percentile is $62,629 per year.

Related Salary Data

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Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
Texas16,850 workersFlorida14,850 workersCalifornia12,590 workersOklahoma8,550 workersGeorgia6,720 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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