Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Postsecondary nondegree award
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Avionics technicians work in a specialized technical field that combines mechanical ability, computers and information technology, and strong problem-solving skills. Nationally, this occupation employs about 21,000 people and offers a median annual salary of $81,390, indicating solid earning potential for a postsecondary technical career. The projected employment growth rate of 8.2% and about 2,000 annual openings suggest a consistent flow of opportunities over time. Success in this career draws on being detail oriented, using fine motor skills, and applying critical and analytical thinking to technical issues. Skills in science, creativity and innovation, and strong writing and reading also support performance in this role, along with adaptability as systems and requirements evolve. For people who enjoy mechanical work and technology and who want a structured path that typically starts with a postsecondary nondegree award, avionics technician roles can offer a focused and stable long-term career option.
Avionics technicians have a national median annual salary of $81,390, with some locations offering notably higher pay. Among states, California stands out with a median salary of $92,480, and Washington follows closely at $91,380. Massachusetts and New York also provide higher-than-national medians at $89,340 and $83,150, respectively, while Colorado’s median is $79,000. At the metro level, salaries can be even higher. The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro shows a median of $129,320, while New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $98,630 and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV has $99,420. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA offers $94,400 and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH reports $86,830. These figures indicate that pay can vary substantially by region, with several major metro areas offering compensation well above the national median for this occupation.
Nationally, avionics technicians hold about 21,000 jobs, with projected employment growth of 8.2%. This growth rate, combined with about 2,000 annual openings, points to a steady labor market with ongoing replacement and potential expansion needs. The consistent 8.2% growth rate also appears in several state and metro-level projections, indicating similar expectations across many regions where detailed data is available. For someone entering or advancing in this field, the combination of a defined national workforce size and regular annual openings suggests that opportunities should recur over time rather than being limited to short-term spikes. While the data does not specify reasons for growth, it does show a clear forward-looking demand signal. Overall, the employment projections suggest that individuals who complete the typical postsecondary nondegree award and build the listed technical and analytical skills can anticipate a reasonably stable outlook for avionics technician roles.
Location makes a meaningful difference for avionics technicians, both in salary levels and in the number of available positions. Among states, California combines a high median salary of $92,480 with employment of 1,220 and an opportunity score of 67.38, making it a strong option. Washington also shows a high median salary of $91,380 and much larger employment at 3,400, with an opportunity score of 56.29. Massachusetts and New York offer median salaries of $89,340 and $83,150, with opportunity scores above 65, although their employment counts (40 in Massachusetts and 130 in New York) are smaller. Colorado provides a median salary of $79,000 and employment of 220. At the metro level, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ areas lead in opportunity scores (77.42 and 77.27), with high median salaries of $94,400 and $98,630. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA stands out for its $129,320 median salary, while Washington, DC and Boston also offer strong pay and solid opportunity scores.
For avionics technicians, the typical education requirement is a postsecondary nondegree award. This points toward focused technical training rather than a longer academic program. To succeed, individuals benefit from a blend of mechanical skills and comfort with computers and information technology, reflecting the technical nature of the work. Being detail oriented and having strong fine motor skills are also important, supporting precise tasks and careful execution. Science knowledge and critical and analytical thinking help technicians understand and address technical issues, while problem solving and decision making support effective responses to complex situations. Creativity and innovation can contribute to finding new or improved solutions, and solid writing and reading skills help with documentation and understanding technical information. Adaptability is also listed as a key skill, indicating the value of being able to adjust as systems, tools, or procedures change over time within this technical career path.
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