Avionics Technicians
Avionics Technicians (SOC 49-2091) earn a median $82,280 a year ($39.56 an hour) in the United States, with 18,830 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Pennsylvania.
What avionics technicians do
Avionics technicians install, inspect, test, adjust and repair avionics equipment, including radar, radio, navigation and missile control systems, in aircraft or spacecraft. They test and troubleshoot instruments, components and assemblies with circuit testers, oscilloscopes or voltmeters, and adjust, repair or replace malfunctioning components or assemblies with hand tools or soldering irons. They lay out the installation of aircraft assemblies and systems from blueprints, manuals and wiring diagrams, assemble components such as switches, electrical controls and junction boxes, and wire components into assemblies including radio systems, instruments, magnetos, inverters and in-flight refueling systems. Ground support and test equipment is set up and operated to perform functional flight tests of electrical and electronic systems. Technicians keep records of maintenance and repair work. Aircraft mechanics (49-3011), who diagnose and repair aircraft engines and assemblies such as hydraulic and pneumatic systems, are a separate occupation; the SOC draws that line by excluding avionics from that code.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a postsecondary certificate, meaning training completed after high school but short of a degree.
Also called: Aircraft Armament Mechanic, Aircraft Avionics Tech (Aircraft Avionics Technician), Aircraft Electrical Systems Specialist, Aircraft Electrician, Aircraft Instrument Mechanic.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $23.75 | $30.72 | $39.56 | $47.65 | $54.65 | $40.09 | 18,830 |
| Annual | $49,410 | $63,900 | $82,280 | $99,110 | $113,680 | $83,380 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where avionics technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $36.74 | $41.10 | $56.48 | $56.48 | $59.50 | $50.10 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.10 |
| Annual | $76,420 | $85,490 | $117,470 | $117,470 | $123,770 | $104,200 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $21.13 | $21.13 | $48.20 | $52.09 | $62.83 | $43.40 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $43,940 | $43,940 | $100,250 | $108,350 | $130,680 | $90,280 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $36.08 | $43.64 | $46.87 | $48.97 | $49.98 | $45.68 | 160 | 0.06 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $75,040 | $90,770 | $97,490 | $101,850 | $103,960 | $95,020 | ||||
| Alabama | Hourly | $29.97 | $37.46 | $46.12 | $46.30 | $48.18 | $40.79 | 910 | 0.43 | 3.54 |
| Annual | $62,330 | $77,910 | $95,920 | $96,310 | $100,220 | $84,840 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $28.91 | $40.34 | $45.58 | $53.06 | $53.85 | $46.82 | 50 | 0.14 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $60,130 | $83,900 | $94,810 | $110,360 | $112,000 | $97,390 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $32.47 | $38.71 | $43.93 | $53.70 | $56.21 | $45.53 | 3,400 | 0.96 | 7.91 |
| Annual | $67,540 | $80,520 | $91,380 | $111,690 | $116,920 | $94,710 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $25.57 | $30.24 | $40.29 | $49.48 | $64.45 | $42.04 | 2,400 | 0.24 | 2.00 |
| Annual | $53,180 | $62,900 | $83,800 | $102,910 | $134,060 | $87,450 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $28.96 | $29.02 | $38.01 | $42.88 | $48.39 | $37.10 | 1,820 | 0.37 | 3.07 |
| Annual | $60,240 | $60,360 | $79,060 | $89,180 | $100,650 | $77,160 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $23.02 | $30.74 | $39.40 | $47.40 | $51.35 | $39.81 | 1,710 | 0.12 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $47,880 | $63,950 | $81,950 | $98,600 | $106,820 | $82,810 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $28.21 | $37.34 | $44.46 | $51.42 | $60.87 | $43.63 | 1,220 | 0.07 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $58,670 | $77,660 | $92,480 | $106,950 | $126,600 | $90,750 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $41.01 | $44.22 | $62.17 | $62.80 | $62.80 | $53.27 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.28 |
| Annual | $85,300 | $91,970 | $129,320 | $130,620 | $130,620 | $110,790 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $38.69 | $41.10 | $56.48 | $56.48 | $59.50 | $48.91 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.22 |
| Annual | $80,470 | $85,490 | $117,470 | $117,470 | $123,770 | $101,740 | ||||
| Tulsa, OK | Hourly | $17.35 | $24.02 | $52.33 | $52.33 | $52.33 | $40.27 | 120 | 0.26 | 2.14 |
| Annual | $36,080 | $49,960 | $108,840 | $108,840 | $108,840 | $83,760 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $28.76 | $39.32 | $51.62 | $51.62 | $51.62 | $44.41 | 110 | 0.09 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $59,820 | $81,780 | $107,370 | $107,370 | $107,370 | $92,370 | ||||
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | Hourly | $29.76 | $35.16 | $48.98 | $51.87 | $58.50 | $45.12 | 110 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $61,910 | $73,120 | $101,880 | $107,900 | $121,690 | $93,850 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $34.01 | $38.71 | $48.18 | $53.70 | $56.21 | $45.91 | 2,880 | 1.38 | 11.42 |
| Annual | $70,740 | $80,520 | $100,200 | $111,690 | $116,920 | $95,500 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $23.00 | $30.29 | $41.87 | $49.76 | $51.35 | $40.95 | 870 | 0.21 | 1.77 |
| Annual | $47,840 | $62,990 | $87,090 | $103,500 | $106,820 | $85,170 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $23.13 | $30.29 | $41.28 | $50.72 | $67.49 | $43.29 | 750 | 0.27 | 2.20 |
| Annual | $48,110 | $63,000 | $85,870 | $105,490 | $140,390 | $90,050 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $23.91 | $34.74 | $42.88 | $45.74 | $51.84 | $40.00 | 650 | 0.23 | 1.87 |
| Annual | $49,730 | $72,270 | $89,180 | $95,140 | $107,820 | $83,200 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $26.79 | $37.34 | $47.13 | $52.55 | $61.74 | $44.34 | 500 | 0.08 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $55,720 | $77,660 | $98,020 | $109,300 | $128,430 | $92,220 | ||||
Top industries employing avionics technicians
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing employ 37.7% of avionics technicians nationally (7,100 jobs) at a median $90,720 a year ($43.62 an hour), followed by Support Activities for Air Transportation (31.2%) and Scheduled Air Transportation (5.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing NAICS 336400 | 7,100 | 37.7% | $90,720 | $43.62 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation NAICS 488100 | 5,880 | 31.2% | $72,790 | $35.00 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation NAICS 481100 | 1,120 | 5.9% | $109,300 | $52.55 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 1,090 | 5.8% | $72,630 | $34.92 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 1,070 | 5.7% | $85,390 | $41.06 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (18,830). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $69,280 for avionics technicians in May 2021 and $82,280 in May 2025, with employment of 18,910 and 18,830.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $69,280 | $33.31 | 18,910 |
| May 2022 | $75,450 | $36.27 | 20,200 |
| May 2023 | $77,420 | $37.22 | 21,280 |
| May 2024 | $81,390 | $39.13 | 20,900 |
| May 2025 | $82,280 | $39.56 | 18,830 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
42 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania profile | $56.48 | $117,470 | $76,420 | $123,770 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.10 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $48.20 | $100,250 | $43,940 | $130,680 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.50 |
| 3 | Maryland profile | $46.87 | $97,490 | $75,040 | $103,960 | 160 | 0.06 | 0.49 |
| 4 | Alabama profile | $46.12 | $95,920 | $62,330 | $100,220 | 910 | 0.43 | 3.54 |
| 5 | Alaska profile | $45.58 | $94,810 | $60,130 | $112,000 | 50 | 0.14 | 1.18 |
| 6 | New Mexico profile | $45.20 | $94,020 | $75,980 | $95,370 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | California profile | $44.46 | $92,480 | $58,670 | $126,600 | 1,220 | 0.07 | 0.55 |
| 8 | Washington profile | $43.93 | $91,380 | $67,540 | $116,920 | 3,400 | 0.96 | 7.91 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $42.95 | $89,340 | $79,040 | $89,680 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.09 |
| 10 | New Hampshire profile | $41.74 | $86,830 | $65,910 | $107,450 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.42 |
| 11 | Hawaii profile | $41.47 | $86,260 | $54,210 | $114,700 | 90 | 0.14 | 1.19 |
| 12 | Virginia profile | $41.18 | $85,660 | $62,090 | $100,870 | 250 | 0.06 | 0.51 |
| 13 | Wyoming profile | $40.56 | $84,360 | $77,060 | $97,810 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | Oregon profile | $40.30 | $83,830 | $55,040 | $107,370 | 140 | 0.07 | 0.60 |
| 15 | Florida profile | $40.29 | $83,800 | $53,180 | $134,060 | 2,400 | 0.24 | 2.00 |
| 16 | South Dakota profile | $40.01 | $83,220 | $61,510 | $90,810 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.73 |
| 17 | New York profile | $39.98 | $83,150 | $70,980 | $104,890 | 130 | 0.01 | 0.11 |
| 18 | Texas profile | $39.40 | $81,950 | $47,880 | $106,820 | 1,710 | 0.12 | 1.00 |
| 19 | South Carolina profile | $39.29 | $81,720 | $45,270 | $91,520 | 270 | 0.12 | 0.95 |
| 20 | Illinois profile | $39.03 | $81,170 | $38,640 | $130,700 | 300 | 0.05 | 0.41 |
| 21 | Idaho profile | $38.76 | $80,620 | $58,210 | $96,500 | 80 | 0.09 | 0.78 |
| 22 | Louisiana profile | $38.58 | $80,250 | $53,690 | $106,530 | 200 | 0.10 | 0.85 |
| 23 | Nevada profile | $38.48 | $80,040 | $52,000 | $96,370 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.27 |
| 24 | Arizona profile | $38.35 | $79,770 | $57,330 | $100,210 | 600 | 0.19 | 1.53 |
| 25 | Georgia profile | $38.01 | $79,060 | $60,240 | $100,650 | 1,820 | 0.37 | 3.07 |
| 26 | Colorado profile | $37.98 | $79,000 | $59,460 | $126,990 | 220 | 0.08 | 0.63 |
| 27 | North Carolina profile | $37.84 | $78,710 | $52,730 | $107,900 | 520 | 0.11 | 0.87 |
| 28 | Indiana profile | $36.91 | $76,770 | $51,970 | $81,030 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.14 |
| 29 | Missouri profile | $34.39 | $71,520 | $50,190 | $100,660 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.25 |
| 30 | Oklahoma profile | $33.96 | $70,640 | $48,300 | $108,840 | 530 | 0.31 | 2.56 |
| 31 | Mississippi profile | $31.65 | $65,830 | $48,280 | $88,440 | 160 | 0.13 | 1.11 |
| 32 | Utah profile | $31.38 | $65,270 | $55,690 | $85,650 | 180 | 0.10 | 0.86 |
| 33 | Wisconsin profile | $31.36 | $65,230 | $51,530 | $101,920 | 130 | 0.05 | 0.37 |
| 34 | Tennessee profile | $29.24 | $60,820 | $45,380 | $82,230 | 480 | 0.15 | 1.21 |
| 35 | Ohio profile | $28.89 | $60,080 | $47,310 | $88,900 | 160 | 0.03 | 0.24 |
| 36 | North Dakota profile | $28.80 | $59,900 | $43,310 | $91,570 | 80 | 0.19 | 1.57 |
| 37 | Kansas profile | $28.75 | $59,810 | $46,870 | $79,410 | 170 | 0.12 | 1.00 |
| 38 | Michigan profile | $28.02 | $58,280 | $46,180 | $86,860 | 300 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| 39 | Montana profile | $27.61 | $57,420 | $39,550 | $72,850 | ** | ** | ** |
| 40 | Minnesota profile | $26.76 | $55,660 | $32,680 | $72,420 | ** | ** | ** |
| 41 | Arkansas profile | $26.04 | $54,160 | $36,660 | $103,490 | 100 | 0.07 | 0.61 |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | $20.40 | $42,440 | $39,870 | $47,640 | ** | ** | ** |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (49-2090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 49-2091 Avionics Technicians.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 49-2091, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 49-2091.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.