Avionics Technicians: Career Overview
Install, inspect, test, adjust, or repair avionics equipment, such as radar, radio, navigation, and missile control systems in aircraft or space vehicles.
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What Tasks Do Avionics Technicians Do?
Typical responsibilities of avionics technicians span:
- Test and troubleshoot instruments, components, and assemblies, using circuit testers, oscilloscopes, or voltmeters.
- Keep records of maintenance and repair work.
- Adjust, repair, or replace malfunctioning components or assemblies, using hand tools or soldering irons.
- Install electrical and electronic components, assemblies, and systems in aircraft, using hand tools, power tools, or soldering irons.
- Set up and operate ground support and test equipment to perform functional flight tests of electrical and electronic systems.
- Assemble components such as switches, electrical controls, and junction boxes, using hand tools or soldering irons.
- Lay out installation of aircraft assemblies and systems, following documentation such as blueprints, manuals, and wiring diagrams.
- Connect components to assemblies such as radio systems, instruments, magnetos, inverters, and in-flight refueling systems, using hand tools and soldering irons.
What Avionics Technicians Need to Know
Effective avionics technicians combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Avionics Technicians Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Aircraft Armament Mechanic
- Aircraft Avionics Tech (Aircraft Avionics Technician)
- Aircraft Electrical Systems Specialist
- Aircraft Electrician
- Aircraft Instrument Mechanic
- Aircraft Technician
- Airplane Electrical Repairer
- Airplane Electrician
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 463,973 avionics technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +5.2% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Avionics Technicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $31,577 |
| Hourly median | $15.18 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $25,739 |
| 75th percentile | $37,414 |
| 90th percentile | $43,251 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Avionics Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $107,640 |
| New Jersey | $100,980 |
| Maryland | $99,180 |
| Connecticut | $94,220 |
| Nevada | $94,080 |
| Alabama | $92,100 |
| Hawaii | $91,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $91,080 |
| California | $90,270 |
| Vermont | $86,200 |
| Massachusetts | $84,840 |
| New Hampshire | $84,560 |
| Arizona | $84,550 |
| Oregon | $82,980 |
| New York | $82,340 |
| Virginia | $80,930 |
| Colorado | $80,290 |
| South Carolina | $79,930 |
| Louisiana | $79,830 |
| Missouri | $78,820 |
| Alaska | $78,370 |
| Texas | $78,150 |
| Florida | $76,900 |
| Oklahoma | $69,310 |
| Idaho | $69,030 |
| Georgia | $67,860 |
| Minnesota | $67,540 |
| Kansas | $66,770 |
| Mississippi | $66,580 |
| Illinois | $66,190 |
| Wisconsin | $64,130 |
| North Carolina | $62,060 |
| Indiana | $61,090 |
| Utah | $59,510 |
| Rhode Island | $59,090 |
| Ohio | $58,310 |
| Michigan | $56,590 |
| Tennessee | $52,370 |
| Arkansas | $48,190 |
| Kentucky | $46,490 |
| North Dakota | $43,500 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,660 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for avionics technicians differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $102,984 | 36.2% | 8.62 |
| Middle Atlantic | $94,357 | 3.0% | 0.32 |
| New England | $92,423 | 3.0% | 1.82 |
| Southwest | $77,809 | 12.8% | 1.10 |
| Southeast | $73,796 | 33.7% | 2.10 |
| Plains States | $70,432 | 2.0% | 0.58 |
| Rocky Mountains | $68,897 | 2.5% | 0.77 |
| Great Lakes | $61,209 | 5.7% | 0.42 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $110,250 | 70 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $109,030 | 4,870 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $106,540 | 40 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $105,790 | 100 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $104,630 | 100 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $101,640 | 90 |
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $99,100 | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $97,870 | 200 |
Which Industries Hire Avionics Technicians
The bulk of avionics technicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 9,030 | $87,640 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 7,530 | $75,070 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,970 | $83,360 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 290 | $61,260 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 210 | $102,990 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 200 | $85,780 |
| Educational Services | 190 | $69,470 |
| Wholesale Trade | 120 | $58,680 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: UNIX (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Workday software (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of avionics technicians tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Time Pressure
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
Education and Training
Most avionics technicians positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Aerospace Engineers (Supplemental)
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer (Supplemental)
- Mechanical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Robotics Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Automotive Engineering Technicians (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Students preparing for avionics technicians commonly pursue programs in:
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
1 programs across 1 majors
Engineering
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 49-2091.00 (Avionics Technicians).
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