Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians Salary
The median pay for a aircraft mechanics and service technicians in Wilmington, NC is $58,670/year ($28.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.42), that's roughly $60,848 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,426/month, about 36.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (96.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About aircraft mechanics and service technicians
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What this looks like in Wilmington
Pay for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in Wilmington runs about 27% below the U.S. median of $80K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,426/month, which is 36.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.42) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for aircraft mechanics and service technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in metros near Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $79K | $81K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $65K | $69K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $92K | $93K |
| Winston-Salem | $73K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wilmington, NC
Entry-level aircraft mechanics and service technicians (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $71K spread from bottom to top.
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $105K | +32% | 1,900 |
| New York | $103K | +29% | 4,300 |
| Maryland | $101K | +26% | 1,070 |
| Washington | $99K | +24% | 4,480 |
| Connecticut | $97K | +21% | 1,430 |
| Nevada | $95K | +19% | 2,570 |
| Massachusetts | $93K | +16% | 1,410 |
| Alaska | $91K | +14% | 1,470 |
| Hawaii | $91K | +14% | 1,150 |
| California | $86K | +8% | 12,590 |
| New Mexico | $84K | +6% | 860 |
| Texas | $84K | +6% | 16,850 |
| Delaware | $84K | +5% | 240 |
| Oregon | $83K | +4% | 1,080 |
| Alabama | $82K | +3% | 4,310 |
| Virginia | $82K | +3% | 2,260 |
| Colorado | $82K | +3% | 2,690 |
| Minnesota | $82K | +3% | 2,390 |
| Illinois | $82K | +2% | 3,370 |
| Tennessee | $81K | +1% | 4,670 |
| Ohio | $81K | +1% | 2,840 |
| Kansas | $80K | +1% | 1,440 |
| Louisiana | $80K | -0% | 1,150 |
| New Hampshire | $80K | -0% | 190 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | -2% | 2,080 |
| North Dakota | $78K | -3% | 200 |
| North Carolina | $77K | -4% | 4,700 |
| Florida | $77K | -4% | 14,850 |
| Vermont | $76K | -4% | 160 |
| South Dakota | $76K | -5% | 150 |
| Georgia | $76K | -5% | 6,720 |
| Arizona | $75K | -6% | 5,670 |
| South Carolina | $75K | -6% | 1,660 |
| Michigan | $75K | -6% | 3,380 |
| Mississippi | $75K | -6% | 1,360 |
| Oklahoma | $74K | -7% | 8,550 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | -7% | 1,270 |
| Missouri | $71K | -11% | 1,700 |
| Rhode Island | $71K | -11% | 120 |
| Utah | $70K | -12% | 2,080 |
| Iowa | $70K | -12% | 330 |
| Kentucky | $68K | -15% | 1,680 |
| Maine | $68K | -15% | 190 |
| Arkansas | $65K | -18% | 720 |
| Montana | $64K | -20% | 310 |
| Nebraska | $64K | -20% | 410 |
| Indiana | $63K | -21% | 1,500 |
| Idaho | $61K | -23% | 600 |
| Wyoming | $57K | -29% | 340 |
| West Virginia | $45K | -43% | 590 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track aircraft mechanics and service technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wilmington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a aircraft mechanics and service technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 36.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,426/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aircraft mechanics and service technicians typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,027/month. At HUD’s $1,426/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is aircraft mechanics and service technician a high-paying job in Wilmington?
Local pay runs 27% below the national median — $59K here vs. $80K nationally.
How does Wilmington compare to the national average for aircraft mechanics and service technicians?
Wilmington pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $80K — that’s -27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — below the national median.
How much do aircraft mechanics and service technicians make in Wilmington, NC?
The median is $58,670 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,450, and experienced aircraft mechanics and service technicians can clear $121,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,878/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,426/month, which eats 36.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a aircraft mechanics and service technicians salary go in Wilmington?
Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 96.42 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median aircraft mechanics and service technicians salary is worth about $60,848 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do aircraft mechanics and service technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.