Navy Aircraft Mechanic Salary
An Aviation Machinist’s Mate is the title for an aircraft mechanic serving in the U.S. Navy. The job can vary greatly depending on the type of aircraft and duty station assigned. The salary a military member earns is dependent on rank, marital status and other special circumstances.
Other People Are Reading
-
Military Pay Scale
-
Military pay is calculated on the Basic Pay chart available from the Defense Finance and Accounting System. The entry level salary for a new recruit in 2011 ranged from $1,467 to $1,916 per month, depending on the recruit’s experience. When joining the Navy, the new member's rank is based on experience and education. That rank determines the member’s base pay. A new recruit can enter the Navy as an E-1, E-2 or E-3 and can qualify for programs that will fast-track him to E-4 upon graduating A-School. The top pay for an aircraft mechanic, after 18 years of experience and attaining the rank of Master Chief, was $5,184 per month in 2011.
Housing Benefits
-
An unmarried military member can live rent-free in a dormitory or barracks. When calculating the financial value of the job, consider the average rent or mortgage cost of the geographical location. Married individuals will earn a Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), which in 2011 ranged from $615 to $1,123 monthly for aircraft mechanics. Single individuals may also qualify for BAH at a reduced rate.
-
Other Pay Allowances
-
Military pay differs for each individual’s situation. Servicemen can earn a Cost of Living Allowance in duty stations where the local economy is more expensive to live; the amount varies greatly, depending on the location. Members of the military can also earn a Family Separation Allowance of $250 per month and an annual clothing allowance that ranged from $327 to $759 per year in 2011.
Rank Vs. Skill Sets
-
Military pay for enlisted members is primarily based on rank, not the career field. An aircraft mechanic will earn the same salary as a postal clerk or air traffic controller of the same rank. There are special pay scales based on certain fields of work, on the individual's flight status or on combat duty. An aircraft mechanic can qualify for the flight engineer career field and increase his pay by qualifying for the flight status bonus. A mechanic who serves aboard a ship can qualify for sea pay, where a mechanic serving on a land base will not.
Outlook
-
Military members earn an annual pay raise. In 2011 the pay raise was 1.4 percent. Rank advancement in the Navy is obtained through time served in the military, annual evaluations and a rating test. The rating test evaluates each candidate's knowledge of his specific job. Rank advancement is not automatic. Test scores and performance evaluations are taken into consideration and promotions are determined by the number of billets available in that job specialty. Rank advancement opportunities within the Navy have increased in recent years, rising to 19 percent of qualified candidates being promoted in the spring of 2011.
After the Military
-
The U.S. military offers a retirement program that will pay members 50 to 75 percent of their base pay after a career of 20 to 30 years. This benefit is paid monthly to retired veterans. Aircraft mechanic and maintenance skills directly transfer to civilian employment. Individuals will need to earn their Airframe and Powerplant Certifications through the Federal Aviation Administration prior to civilian employment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the growth rate for aircraft mechanic jobs will be about average, relative to all occupations, which is a growth rate of 7 to 13 percent between 2008 and 2018.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit NA/Photos.com/Getty Images
