Earnings
Aviation Mechanic Graduate Earnings by State
Aviation mechanic graduate earnings by state differ from what aircraft mechanics earn in the same state, and this post shows both. Among states with three or more ranked aviation programs carrying a College Scorecard figure, Pennsylvania graduates earn the most at a median $66,504; among states with 500 or more jobs, New Jersey pays aircraft mechanics the most.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group
At a Glance
- Pennsylvania leads graduate earnings among the 11 states with three or more figures: a median $66,504, four years after completing.
- New Jersey pays aircraft mechanics the most among states with 500 or more jobs: a BLS May 2025 median of $105,370.
- California is the only state in both the top five for graduates and the BLS top ten, because graduates four years out and all working aircraft mechanics are different groups.
- The national figures are $61,230 and $79,870: the median of 93 ranked schools' graduate earnings, and the BLS median for all aircraft mechanics.
Graduate Earnings by State
College Scorecard prints the median earnings of a school's graduates who are working and not enrolled, four years after they finish. The figure covers the school's mechanic and repair programs at one credential level, so it belongs to the school, not to the aviation program alone: 62 of the 93 figures below take in other mechanic programs at the same school. Each state's number is the median of its ranked aviation programs' figures, and only states with at least three are listed.
| State | Ranked programs | With a figure | Median graduate earnings | BLS median pay, all aircraft mechanics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 4 | $66,504 | $78,000 |
| Indiana | 3 | 3 | $65,875 | $63,400 |
| California | 19 | 11 | $65,468 | $86,100 |
| Minnesota | 3 | 3 | $64,385 | $81,980 |
| North Carolina | 5 | 3 | $61,074 | $76,980 |
| Illinois | 5 | 4 | $60,549 | $81,680 |
| Oklahoma | 7 | 4 | $58,711 | $74,390 |
| Texas | 11 | 9 | $58,012 | $84,440 |
| Florida | 11 | 8 | $55,066 | $76,940 |
| Tennessee | 5 | 4 | $53,912 | $81,040 |
| Georgia | 9 | 8 | $53,066 | $75,640 |
The aviation mechanic school ranking carries each school's own figure, with a note that it is school-wide and, for chains, shared by campuses that report under one federal ID.
Aircraft Mechanic Pay by State
BLS counts every wage and salary aircraft mechanic and service technician, whatever their experience. These are the ten highest state medians among states with at least 500 jobs in the occupation, with the number of ranked aviation programs in each state beside them.
| State | Median | Jobs | Ranked aviation programs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $105,370 | 1,900 | 1 |
| New York | $102,800 | 4,300 | 2 |
| Maryland | $100,500 | 1,070 | 0 |
| Washington | $98,980 | 4,480 | 5 |
| Connecticut | $96,830 | 1,430 | 0 |
| Nevada | $94,890 | 2,570 | 0 |
| Massachusetts | $93,040 | 1,410 | 2 |
| Alaska | $91,150 | 1,470 | 2 |
| Hawaii | $90,830 | 1,150 | 1 |
| California | $86,100 | 12,590 | 19 |
The state links go to each state's salary page, which covers all five mechanic trades. The aircraft mechanic salary page has the metro areas.
Why the Two Measures Differ
The two lists name different states because they measure different people. Scorecard follows graduates of a school's mechanic and repair programs and reports one figure per school and credential level. BLS reports what employers paid every wage and salary aircraft mechanic in the state in May 2025, whatever their experience. The BLS national median is $79,870; the median of the ranked schools' graduate figures is $61,230.
So the table of graduates answers which states' schools have graduates earning most four years after finishing, and the BLS table answers where the trade as a whole pays most. A state that tops one list and not the other is not contradicting itself. The aircraft mechanic career page covers the FAA certificate and the routes to it.
Questions About Aviation Mechanic Earnings by State
Where do aviation mechanic graduates earn the most?
Among the 11 states with three or more ranked aviation programs that carry a Scorecard figure, Pennsylvania is highest with a median of $66,504, then Indiana at $65,875 and California at $65,468. These are median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing.
How much do aviation mechanic school graduates earn?
The median across the 93 ranked aviation programs that carry a Scorecard figure is $61,230, four years after completing. Each figure covers a school's mechanic and repair graduates at one credential level, not aviation graduates alone.
Which state pays aircraft mechanics the most?
New Jersey, among states with at least 500 aircraft mechanic jobs, with a BLS May 2025 median of $105,370 across 1,900 jobs. New York ($102,800) and Maryland ($100,500) follow. The aircraft mechanic salary page has the full state and metro tables.
Why do graduates earn less than the BLS median for aircraft mechanics?
They are different measures. The Scorecard figure is the median for graduates working four years after finishing, across a school's mechanic and repair programs, while the BLS median covers every wage and salary aircraft mechanic at any level of experience. The BLS national median is $79,870; the median of the ranked schools' graduate figures is $61,230.
Sources for Aviation Mechanic Graduate Earnings by State
- U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Completions (awards July 2024 to June 2025, provisional), tuition and fees for 2024-25, graduation rates within 150% of normal time and the institutional directory.
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study earnings, released June 10, 2026.
- FAA, Part 147 aviation maintenance technician school list FAA data updated October 26, 2026, read October 30, 2026.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanics and Technicians 2025-35 edition.
This site earns money from sponsored school listings served by the education ad network Esyoh, which are marked as ads wherever they appear. Schools pay to appear in those listings, not in the rankings: a listing is not scored, and no listing can change a ranking. Rankings come from published records, and program details from each school’s own published pages.