The Salary of an Airplane Mechanic for the Military

Aircraft mechanics are paid to keep planes in working condition.

Airplane mechanics help keep the skies safe. The same is true for those working as military airplane mechanics. They keep our nation's airmen safe by providing maintenance and repair services for the various branches of the military on fighter jets, cargo planes and other types of military air transport craft. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that some 16,940 aircraft mechanics were employed by the federal government in 2010. Salaries for these mechanics were typically higher than the national average salary for all aircraft mechanics.

Average Salary

Aircraft mechanics employed by the federal government made an average salary of $55,730 per year in 2010, according to the BLS. The bureau indicates that the average salary for all aircraft mechanic personnel nationwide was lower. Nationally, aircraft mechanics made an average salary of $53,280 per year in 2010, with the largest group working in scheduled air transportation. These mechanics made slightly more than military mechanics at $56,570, on average.

Pay Scale

Placing the salary of military aircraft mechanics within the larger pay scale for all mechanics nationwide can provide some additional context. According to the BLS, aircraft mechanic salaries tend to range from about $33,630 to $72,250 per year, as of May 2010. In the middle of the pay scale were those who earned a median salary of $53,420, with the middle 50 percent earning between $43,660 and $62,280 on an annual basis.

Location and Branch

Location can have an effect on the pay received by aircraft mechanics. So too can the specific military branch for which the aircraft mechanic works. For example, a 2011 job posting at USAJobs.gov, the official government job website, indicates an opening at Grissom Air Reserve Base in Indiana paying 23.85 to $27.93 per hour for the Air Force Reserve. An Air National Guard posting for the air force bases in Albuquerque and Kirtland, New Mexico, indicates an hourly pay range of $20.11 to $30.92 per hour. An Air National Guard Mechanic in St. Paul, Minnesota, can make $25.51 to $29.73, according to USAJobs.gov. In Utah, yet another Air National Guard post on USAJobs.gov reveals a salary range of $47,980 to $62,296 per year, rather than an hourly rate of pay.

Experience and Promotion

Experience also provides some indication of what the military mechanic can expect to make, especially as the mechanic is promoted through the various steps of the pay scale established by the military. The job postings at USAJobs.gov indicate that qualified aircraft mechanics enter the military at the WG-08 and WG-10 levels. This means that with no experience or promotion the aircraft mechanic can generally expect to make somewhere between $37,631 and $45,771 per year, as of 2011. Two of the job postings indicate that promotion to the WG-12 grade is possible, which takes the salary to $60,274. Ten different pay steps are possible in each of these grades, though, and are usually gained as a result of experience. Possible pay for the WG-08 level ranges from $37,631 to $48,917, while WG-10 employees can be paid $45,771 to $59,505. At the WG-12 level, aircraft mechanics can make from $60,274 to $78,355 per year.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: 49-3011 Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
• FedJobs.com: 2011 Base General Schedule Pay Scale
• AV Jobs: Aircraft Mechanic (A&P) Jobs
• USAJobs.gov: Job Title: Aircraft Mechanic WG 8852 11 11-152
• USAJobs.gov: Job Title: Aircraft Mechanic
• USAJobs.gov: Job Title: Aircraft Mechanic
• USAJobs.gov: Job Title: Aircraft Mechanic
• USAJobs.gov: Job Title: Aircraft Mechanic
• USAJobs.gov: Job Title: Aircraft Pneudraulic Systems Mechanic (HYD) - Military Requirement