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Aircraft Powerplant Technology

Types of Degrees Aircraft Powerplant Technology Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Aircraft Powerplant Technology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1,943
Associate’s Degree	501
Bachelor’s Degree	99
Master’s Degree	784

What Aircraft Powerplant Technology Majors Need to Know

Programs in Aircraft Powerplant Technology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Aircraft Powerplant Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Aircraft Powerplant Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Aircraft Powerplant Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Equipment Maintenance — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Repairing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Troubleshooting — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Aircraft Powerplant Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Finger Dexterity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Manual Dexterity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Information Ordering — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Aircraft Powerplant Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.0 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.0 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Aircraft Powerplant Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Enterprise resource planning ERP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
Electrical power management system software	Industrial control software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Computerized aircraft log manager CALM	Information retrieval or search software	—
Operational Data Store ODS software	Data base user interface and query software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Aircraft Powerplant Technology graduates include:

• Aircraft Sheet Metal Mechanic
• Structures Mechanic
• Aerospace Assembler
• Rib Builder
• Hydraulic Assembler
• Aircraft Line Assembler
• Experimental Assembler
• Skin Installer
• Warehouse Assembler
• Safety Glass Installer
• Precision Assembler
• Depot Product Assembler
• Aircraft Powerplant Repairer
• A&P Technician (Airframe and Powerplant Technician)
• Installer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Aircraft Powerplant Technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	37.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	35.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	12.2%
Bachelor’s degree	9.2%
Some college courses	3.8%
Less than a high school diploma	1.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Aircraft Powerplant Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 90.7% of Aircraft Powerplant Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	315	9.3%
Men	3,057	90.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Aircraft Powerplant Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,893	56.1%
Asian	138	4.1%
Hispanic or Latino	753	22.3%
Black or African American	220	6.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	27	0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	22	0.7%
Two or More Races	129	3.8%
Race Unknown	146	4.3%
International Students	44	1.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Aircraft Powerplant Technology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Aircraft Powerplant Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$37,744
4 years	$43,612
5 years	$49,558

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $49,558 — roughly 31% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Aircraft Powerplant Technology Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Aircraft Powerplant Technology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	2	1
Bachelor’s	2	0
Master’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Aircraft Powerplant Technology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Aircraft Powerplant Technology graduates earn a median of $43,612 four years after completion — roughly 15% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technology/Technician, General	47.06
Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician	47.0607
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Technology/Technician	47.0614
Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician	47.0603
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician	47.0604
Avionics Maintenance Technology/Technician	47.0609
Bicycle Mechanics and Repair Technology/Technician	47.0610
Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician	47.0605
Engine Machinist	47.0615
High Performance and Custom Engine Technician/Mechanic	47.0617
Marine Maintenance/Fitter and Ship Repair Technology/Technician	47.0616
Medium/Heavy Vehicle and Truck Technology/Technician	47.0613

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.