How to become an Avionics Technician

Official title: Avionics Technicians

Also called: Aircraft Electrical Systems Specialist, Aircraft Technician (Aircraft Tech), Aviation Electrical Technician (Aviation Electrical Tech), Aviation Electronics Technician (Aviation Electronics Tech), Avionic Technician (Avionic Tech), Avionics Electrical Technician (AET), Avionics Electronics Technician (Avionics Electronics Tech), Avionics Installer, Avionics Line Technician (Avionics Line Tech), Avionics Repair Technician (Avionics Repair Tech)

Install, inspect, test, adjust, or repair avionics equipment, such as radar, radio, navigation, and missile control systems in aircraft or space vehicles.

Main tasks

• Adjust, repair, or replace malfunctioning components or assemblies, using hand tools or soldering irons.
• Lay out installation of aircraft assemblies and systems, following documentation such as blueprints, manuals, and wiring diagrams.
• Keep records of maintenance and repair work.
• Test and troubleshoot instruments, components, and assemblies, using circuit testers, oscilloscopes, or voltmeters.
• Connect components to assemblies such as radio systems, instruments, magnetos, inverters, and in-flight refueling systems, using hand tools and soldering irons.
• Install electrical and electronic components, assemblies, and systems in aircraft, using hand tools, power tools, or soldering irons.
• Coordinate work with that of engineers, technicians, and other aircraft maintenance personnel.
• Set up and operate ground support and test equipment to perform functional flight tests of electrical and electronic systems.

How to become one

Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians typically need postsecondary education, such as a certificate from a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved program. Some enter the occupation with an associate's degree; others have a high school diploma and train on the job or in the military.

Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Aircraft Mechanic, Electrical.
• Apprenticeship: Avionics Technician.
• Apprenticeship: Electrician, Aircraft.
• Certificate or associate's degree: Postsecondary nondegree award. Programs such as Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other; Avionics Maintenance Technology/Technician
• Licence: A federal licence or certificate is required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $82,280 a year The middle half earn $63,900 to $99,110.
• About 19,800 people work in this job now, and about 21,600 are projected by 2035. (+9.4%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers
• Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment
• Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
• Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
• Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles
• Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How do I become an Avionics Technician?

Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians typically need postsecondary education, such as a certificate from a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved program. Some enter the occupation with an associate's degree; others have a high school diploma and train on the job or in the military.

How much does an Avionics Technician earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $82,280 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $63,900 to $99,110.

Is an Avionics Technician a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 9% by 2035, from about 19,800 to about 21,600 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Avionics Technician?

Usually not. Only 13% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Postsecondary nondegree award; Aircraft Mechanic, Electrical.

Will AI change the work of an Avionics Technician?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.