Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers Salary
The median pay for a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers in Tennessee is $66,390/year ($31.92/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $73,947 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 26.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Tennessee. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $66K get you in Tennessee?
About aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $66K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,215/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $45K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assembler afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 26.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,988/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assembler a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $66K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers?
Tennessee pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $74K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers make in Tennessee?
The median is $66,390 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,130, and experienced aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers can clear $78,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,591/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 26.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers salary go in Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers salary is worth about $73,947 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers 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.