April 03, 2002 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

For aircraft mechanics, certification pays

In 2000, aircraft mechanics and service technicians certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earned on average $20.16 per hour. Aircraft mechanics and technicians without FAA certification earned on average $15.78 per hour, over $4.00 less than their certified counterparts.

[Chart data—TXT]

Private industry employment of aircraft mechanics and service technicians totaled 118,770 in 2000. Of this total, almost 83 percent were FAA certified.

The mean wage for FAA certified aircraft mechanics and service technicians was higher than the mean wage for their non-certified counterparts in all six of the industries shown in the chart. The highest mean wage for the FAA certified aircraft mechanics was found in the scheduled air transportation industry, at $21.19 per hour. The highest non-FAA certified mean wage was found in aircraft and parts manufacturing, at $17.90 per hour. 

These data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics program. Data in this article are for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in private industry. Find out more in "Certification Can Count: The Case of Aircraft Mechanics" (PDF 90K), Issues in Labor Statistics, BLS Summary 02-03.