Airline Mechanic Salary Comparison
An airline mechanic is responsible for repairing and maintaining commercial airplanes used to transport passengers. Mechanics service parts of the airplane, including landing gear, instruments and brakes, and keep detailed logs of regular maintenance and inspection completed. They use specialized computer systems to troubleshoot problems that occur with aircraft, and upon repairing the problem, release them for flight. According to Payscale.com, the average salary of an airline mechanic depends largely upon a number of factors, including the number of years in the field and the type of employer.
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Work Experience
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An airline mechanic's salary depends largely upon how much work experience he or she has in the field. In August 2009, mechanics with one to four years of work experience earned an average salary of between $23,669 and $42,319. The average salary range for five to nine years of experience was between $31,742 and $49,777. From years 10 to 19, mechanics averaged salaries of between $43,205 to $63,979. Once in the field for 20 years or more, a mechanic has the potential to earn an average maximum salary of $69,890.
Employer Type
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The type of employer an airline mechanic worked for also affected the average salary range in August 2009. Self-employed airline mechanics earned the highest maximum salaries at $81,998, but at $30,000, starting salaries for such workers were one of the lowest. Publicly traded companies paid one of the highest starting salaries at $40,226. One of the lowest paying employers of airline mechanics was the federal government, where workers earned an average of between $26,507 and $48,531.
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Geographic Area
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The area where an airline mechanic worked also affected salary range in August 2009. One of the highest paying states for mechanics was Arizona, with salaries of between $34,971 and $67,500. Other high-paying states include California, at between $33,392 and $66,851; New York, at between $33,593 and $60,000; and Texas, at between $34,278 and $57,808.
Education
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The education level of airline mechanics also affected average salary ranges in August 2009. The highest-paid mechanics held associate's degrees in applied science, earning between $41,372 and $60,505, while those with an aircraft maintenance certificate or diploma from a technical school earned between $28,300 and $46,587. Mechanics who only completed high school were the lowest paid, at between $21,735 and $42,729.
Benefits
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In August 2009, many airline mechanics received additional benefits that increased their overall compensation packages, including between 1.2 and 3.2 weeks of paid vacation time. Mechanics also averaged annual bonuses of between $510 and $1300, and received average profit-sharing revenues of between $504 and $2056 per year. In addition, airline mechanics enjoyed other benefits, including paid sick leave, 401k retirement plans, life or disability insurance, education and training reimbursements and gym or health club memberships.
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