Salary AI Book a Demo

Flight Maintenance Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Flight Maintenance Engineer make in the United States? As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Flight Maintenance Engineer in the United States is $79,902 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $38.

However, a Flight Maintenance Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here's a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $89,320
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $74,008 to $84,832
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $68,641
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Check out Flight Maintenance Engineer Job Openings in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Flight Maintenance Engineer Salaries

A Flight Maintenance Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Flight Maintenance Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Flight Maintenance Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $78,875
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $94,328
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $113,742
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $138,485
  • Expert (over 8 years): $163,396
Job RoleYears of ExperienceAverage Salary
Flight Maintenance Engineer less than 1 year $78,875
Reliability Engineer II 1-2 years $94,328
Reliability Engineer III 2-4 years $113,742
Reliability Engineer IV 5-8 years $138,485
Reliability Engineer V over 8 years $163,396

How Do Flight Maintenance Engineer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Flight Maintenance Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $88,468.
  • California: $88,132.
  • Massachusetts: $86,957.

Top Paying Cities for Flight Maintenance Engineer

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $100,781
  • San Francisco: $99,677
  • Oakland: $97,576

Flight Maintenance Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Flight Maintenance Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Construction and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Flight Maintenance Engineer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Flight Maintenance Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Flight Maintenance Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Construction $95,883 $46.0 20%
Pharmaceuticals $95,883 $46.0 20%
Energy & Utilities $91,887 $44.0 15%
Aerospace & Defense $87,892 $42.0 10%
MFG Durable $87,892 $42.0 10%

How Education impacts a Flight Maintenance Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Flight Maintenance Engineer professionals enter the field with a Associate's degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Flight Maintenance Engineer with a Associate's is between $75,790 and $78,928.

Flight Maintenance Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Flight Maintenance Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Degree 2.6%
High School 2.6%
Associate's Degree 9%
Bachelor's Degree 56.4%
Master's Degree or MBA 26.9%
JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent 5.1%
View as Graph

Flight Maintenance Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Flight Maintenance Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$74,008
Average $79,902/year
$84,832
$6,167
Average $6,659/month
$7,069
$1,423
Average $1,537/week
$1,631
$36
Average $38/hour
$41
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $84,832 $7,069 $1,631 $41
Average $79,902 $6,659 $1,537 $38
25th Percentile $74,008 $6,167 $1,423 $36

Most common benefits for Flight Maintenance Engineer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Flight Maintenance Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Flight Maintenance Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Flight Maintenance Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Flight Maintenance Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

  • Ohio State Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital | Columbus, OH

    RN

    Ohio State Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital | Columbus, OH

    Travel Rn Stepdown (Pcu) Shift. Night shift - 12 hours. Start date: 09/21/2026. End date: 12/21/2026. Duration: 13 weeks. City: Columbus. State: OH more

    17 Days Ago

  • Titan Medical Group, LLC | Columbus, OH

    Travel OR RN

    Titan Medical Group, LLC | Columbus, OH

    Travel Or Position. Titan Medical is looking for travelers to fill a travel OR position for a 13-week assignment in Columbus, OH more

    17 Days Ago

  • Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Associate Vice President Internal Communications

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Associate Vice President, Internal Communications. About the Company. National consulting & advisory services firm focused on the healthcare industry. Indu... more

    20 Days Ago

  • C.R. England | Columbus, OH

    Local CDL

    C.R. England | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. C.R. England is Now Urgently Hiring Local Dedicated CDL-A Truck Drivers. \n. Dedicated Local Fleet - Home Daily - Competitive Pay* - Full ... more

    25 Days Ago

  • Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President Payments Engineering

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Payments Engineering. About the Company. Globally-recognized provider of corporate payment solutions. Industry. Financial Services. Type. P... more

    27 Days Ago

  • Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Senior Vice President of Project Delivery

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Senior Vice President of Project Delivery. About the Company. A multi-billion-dollar construction organization with collaborative, servant-minded leadershi... more

    27 Days Ago

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Flight Maintenance Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Flight Maintenance Engineer?

The Construction industry offers the highest average compensation for Flight Maintenance Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst