Avionics Technicians Salary
The median pay for a avionics technicians in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is $94,400/year ($45.39/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.42), so that salary is closer to $85,492 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,483/month, about 58.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $94K get you in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara’s Regional Price Parity (110.42). 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 avionics technicians
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What this looks like in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara sits well above the national pay line for avionics technicians, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $82K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,483/month, which is 59.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.42), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for avionics technicians in metros near San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $98K | $86K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $92K | $83K |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $98K | $97K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $83K | $78K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Entry-level avionics technicians (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $70K spread from bottom to top.
Avionics Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Avionics Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $117K | +43% | 70 |
| New Jersey | $100K | +22% | 260 |
| Maryland | $97K | +18% | 160 |
| Alabama | $96K | +17% | 910 |
| Alaska | $95K | +15% | 50 |
| New Mexico | $94K | +14% | N/A |
| California | $92K | +12% | 1,220 |
| Washington | $91K | +11% | 3,400 |
| Massachusetts | $89K | +9% | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $87K | +6% | 30 |
| Hawaii | $86K | +5% | 90 |
| Virginia | $86K | +4% | 250 |
| Wyoming | $84K | +3% | N/A |
| Oregon | $84K | +2% | 140 |
| Florida | $84K | +2% | 2,400 |
| South Dakota | $83K | +1% | 40 |
| New York | $83K | +1% | 130 |
| Texas | $82K | -0% | 1,710 |
| South Carolina | $82K | -1% | 270 |
| Illinois | $81K | -1% | 300 |
| Idaho | $81K | -2% | 80 |
| Louisiana | $80K | -2% | 200 |
| Nevada | $80K | -3% | 50 |
| Arizona | $80K | -3% | 600 |
| Georgia | $79K | -4% | 1,820 |
| Colorado | $79K | -4% | 220 |
| North Carolina | $79K | -4% | 520 |
| Indiana | $77K | -7% | 60 |
| Missouri | $72K | -13% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $71K | -14% | 530 |
| Mississippi | $66K | -20% | 160 |
| Utah | $65K | -21% | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $65K | -21% | 130 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -26% | 480 |
| Ohio | $60K | -27% | 160 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -27% | 80 |
| Kansas | $60K | -27% | 170 |
| Michigan | $58K | -29% | 300 |
| Montana | $57K | -30% | N/A |
| Minnesota | $56K | -32% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $54K | -34% | 100 |
| Kentucky | $42K | -48% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 42 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track avionics technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a avionics technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 59.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,483/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for avionics technicians in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new avionics technicians typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,148/month. At HUD’s $3,483/month FMR, rent would take 111% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is avionics technician a high-paying job in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $94K here vs. $82K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 10% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara compare to the national average for avionics technicians?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do avionics technicians make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The median is $94,400 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,470, and experienced avionics technicians can clear $122,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,823/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,483/month, which eats 59.8% 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 avionics technicians salary go in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara has a Regional Price Parity of 110.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median avionics technicians salary is worth about $85,492 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do avionics 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.