Find where a signal fails
Use a voltmeter with the wiring diagram to pin down where an airplane circuit loses its signal.
Career profile
Avionics Technician
Avionics technicians track down faults in airplane electronics that handle radio and navigation in flight.
Picture an airplane radio that has quit. The wiring diagram comes first, then readings on the circuit, then a decision on the repair.
A day in the life
Install and test new avionics gear
You mount the new avionics gear, hook up its wiring, and then confirm the install with test equipment.
Fix a unit off the aircraft
In component shops, you test a pulled unit, fix the fault, then measure it against the technical instructions.
Log the repair and results
Write the fix and test results in the maintenance record so a later technician can continue the work.
Quick facts
Technical certificate
United States · 2025–2035
$82,280/year
United States · 2025
9.4% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Technical certificateA certificate after high school is typical entry preparation.
Pay
$82,280/yearNational median for avionics technicians; about $39.56 an hour.
Outlook
9.4% projected growthAbout 1,700 openings a year are projected nationally, including replacement needs.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy narrowing a problem down with measurements.
- You can work carefully with small connections.
- You are willing to read instructions and record your results.
Things to weigh
- Some jobs include nights, weekends, and holidays.
- Noise and deadlines can make concentration harder, while safety standards still demand careful work.
Where AI may help
Computer diagnostic tools help test systems and interpret readings.
What people still lead
You still connect test equipment, repair hardware, and judge whether the results fit the fault.
What we can’t predict yet
How far automated testing will narrow a fault before you investigate remains uncertain, especially across different generations of aircraft electronics.
Pay in context
Earnings
The national median was $82,280 a year in 2025, or $39.56 an hour. It is a midpoint, not a starting offer.
The spread is substantial
The lowest-paid 10% earned below $49,410; the highest-paid 10% earned above $113,680. These groups are not beginner and senior pay bands.
Workplace type changes the comparison
Annual medians were $99,620 in air transportation, $90,720 in aerospace manufacturing, and $72,790 in air-transportation support services. These compare different workforces, not identical jobs.
Openings include replacing workers
Employment is projected to grow 9.4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,700 openings annually from growth and replacement needs. Local hiring can differ.
Getting started
Study aircraft electronics
- What the route involves
- Complete an avionics certificate program with lab work in wiring, electronic systems, and troubleshooting. Check the course prerequisites before enrolling.
- What it can lead to
- You gain technical preparation for installation and repair work, including finding faults in navigation and communication equipment.
- What to check
- A school certificate does not itself authorize aircraft maintenance sign-off. Without appropriate certification, maintenance work needs certificated supervision or a repair station's or air carrier's authority.
Learn through a technical internship
- What the route involves
- Work alongside licensed technicians on aircraft wiring installations or component repairs while studying aviation.
- What it can lead to
- You build experience using shop tools and technical instructions on real equipment.
- What to check
- Some employer programs are designed for students already pursuing aviation training. Check eligibility and openings; an internship does not guarantee a permanent job.
You can build avionics skills in a technical program and apply them through a supervised workplace route.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization. This path also has a credential or licensing boundary; see the requirements and limits.
Get established
Learn your shop's manuals, test equipment, and repair records alongside experienced technicians.
Build troubleshooting depth
Get better at separating wiring faults from failures inside electronic units, including systems that combine digital and analog electronics.
Lead or specialize
Work toward crew leadership, coordinating technicians across repairs and installations.
- Specialize in cockpit upgrades that replace older instruments with integrated electronic displays.
Where you can work
Component repair shop
Work in a clean indoor setting on avionics units removed from aircraft, using technical publications to guide testing and repair.
- Indoors
- Safety-sensitive
Aircraft upgrade hangar
Work on planned cockpit or cabin electronics changes, with engineering and sheet-metal specialists helping the new equipment fit the aircraft.
- Indoors
- Vehicle
- Safety-sensitive
Airport service crew
Handle aircraft faults and recurring checks near the flight line. Some crews take tools to customers' hangars or travel to aircraft grounded elsewhere.
- Field work
- Travel
- Safety-sensitive
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
On paper, draw a simple aircraft-radio system with a power supply, radio, antenna, and headset. Imagine the pilot hears nothing. Mark three possible fault locations and explain what evidence would help you choose between them. Notice whether you enjoy tracing connections and explaining your reasoning.
Stay safe: Keep this a paper exercise; do not test or alter aircraft equipment.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. Avionics Technicians — 49-2091.00. Accessed 2026-10-05.
- O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. National Wages: Avionics Technicians. Accessed 2026-10-05.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational projections and worker characteristics. Accessed 2026-10-05.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanics and Technicians. Accessed 2026-10-05.
- Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. Avionics Certificate — 2026–2027 Catalog. Accessed 2026-10-05.
- Duncan Aviation. Internships at Duncan Aviation. Accessed 2026-10-05.
- Federal Aviation Administration. Become a Mechanic Frequently Asked Questions. Accessed 2026-10-05.
- Federal Aviation Administration. Become an FAA-Certificated Repairman. Accessed 2026-10-05.
- Duncan Aviation. Portland, OR — Avionics Services. Accessed 2026-10-05.
- Duncan Aviation. Avionics Installation. Accessed 2026-10-05.
- Duncan Aviation. Satellites Support Customer Needs. Accessed 2026-10-05.