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Avionics Technicians

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipLower pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $82,280 Median per year · $39.56/hr Most earn $49,410–$113,680

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Test and troubleshoot instruments, components, and assemblies, using circuit testers, oscilloscopes, or voltmeters.
  • Lay out installation of aircraft assemblies and systems, following documentation such as blueprints, manuals, and wiring diagrams.
  • Interpret flight test data to diagnose malfunctions and systemic performance problems.
  • Adjust, repair, or replace malfunctioning components or assemblies, using hand tools or soldering irons.
  • 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.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
9% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 1,700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing36.2%
  • Support activities for air transportation29.5%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service5.9%
  • Scheduled air transportation5.8%
  • Engineering services5.4%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Avionics technician is usually reached through a certificate or apprenticeship after high school, not a four-year degree. Most people spend about 1 to 2 years gaining hands-on experience before they work in this job on their own.

  1. High school diploma with math, physics, and electronics classes

    4 years

    Strong math and science skills give you the foundation for reading circuit diagrams and troubleshooting equipment.

  2. Electronics or aviation certificate program or apprenticeship

    1-2 years

    Hands-on training in electronics, wiring, and aircraft systems teaches you how to test and repair the equipment you will later work on.

  3. Electrical and Electronics Repairer, Commercial and Industrial Equipment

    1-2 years

    Entry-level repair work builds the troubleshooting and testing experience employers look for before you specialize in aircraft systems.

  4. Avionics Technician

    Ongoing

    You install, inspect, test, adjust, and repair radar, radio, navigation, and other aircraft or space vehicle electronics.

Where it can lead

  1. Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologist

    2-4 years of experience first

    You move from hands-on repair toward testing, analysis, and helping plan how aerospace systems are built and operated, which usually requires more technical training.

  2. Lead Avionics Technician

    Varies by employer of experience first

    You take charge of a team, handle the hardest troubleshooting jobs, and train newer technicians, which usually means showing strong skills and reliability over time.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take physics and electronics or shop classesThese classes teach you how circuits, signals, and electrical systems work, which is the core of avionics.
  • Join a robotics or electronics clubBuilding and fixing devices as a team gives you hands-on troubleshooting practice and something to talk about with future employers.
  • Take a math class beyond the basicsAlgebra, trigonometry, and geometry help you read technical manuals and measure accurately.
  • Look for a summer job at a repair shop or electronics storeAny job where you fix or assemble equipment builds practical skills and a work history.
  • Visit an airport or aviation maintenance site through a school or community eventSeeing real aircraft systems up close helps you decide if this career fits your interests.

In college

  • Take electronics, circuits, and digital systems coursesThese classes build the electrical knowledge you will use every day when testing and repairing avionics.
  • Enroll in a certificate or apprenticeship program in aviation electronicsA focused program gives you the hands-on training and credentials that most avionics employers look for.
  • Get a part-time campus job doing equipment setup or lab supportWorking with test equipment and fixing lab gear adds practical experience you can list on a resume.
  • Join an engineering, robotics, or aviation student clubClub projects let you practice teamwork and troubleshooting, and they help you meet people in the field.
  • Seek an internship or co-op with an aviation or electronics companyWorking in a real maintenance or repair setting shows employers you can handle professional equipment and deadlines.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for certificate or apprenticeship programs in electronics or aviation maintenance near you, and ask whether they include hands-on lab time.
  • Practice with simple electronics kits, circuit boards, or small robotics projects so you can show real examples in an interview.
  • Ask local repair shops, airports, or aviation companies whether they offer part-time, summer, or entry-level helper jobs so you can learn on the job.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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