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Skilled Trades

Aviation Inspectors

Inspect aircraft, maintenance procedures, air navigational aids, air traffic controls, and communications equipment to ensure conformance with Federal safety regulations.

Median salary (BLS)

$92,100

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$40k – $139k

Job outlook

+2% (about average)

AI exposure

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports one wage for this occupational group, which covers 3 related roles — so read the median as an approximate group figure, and the range as the truer picture for this specific title. BLS source.

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $70,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Aviation Inspectors

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: No degree (trade/license)

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Typical progression

  1. Junior Aviation Inspectors

    Entry / Junior

    $40,330

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Aviation Inspectors

    Established

    $92,100

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Aviation Inspectors

    Senior

    $115,385

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures.
  • •Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals.
  • •Inspect new, repaired, or modified aircraft to identify damage or defects and to assess airworthiness and conformance to standards, using checklists, hand tools, and test instruments.
  • •Approve or deny issuance of certificates of airworthiness.
  • •Prepare and maintain detailed repair, inspection, investigation, and certification records and reports.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.