Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
Also called Engineering Technician, Instrumentation Technician, Systems Test Technician, or Test Technician
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians do
You run the tests and instruments that prove an aircraft or spacecraft part actually works before anyone trusts it in the air.
Aerospace engineering technicians build and run the test setups that check whether aircraft and spacecraft systems hold up. You wire sensors to a part, set up the computers that record what happens, then push the system through simulated flight conditions and watch for anything that fails. When the test setup itself breaks, you diagnose it and fix it with hand tools and power tools.
The other half of the job is data and conversation. You record readings, interpret what they mean, and sit down with engineers to explain what the numbers show. People also call this role engineering technician, test technician, or instrumentation technician (someone who sets up and looks after measuring equipment). The typical way in is a two-year associate's degree.
A day in the life
You start indoors, in a climate-controlled lab or a dedicated testing area, checking email and the day's test plan. You put on safety gear and set up equipment to match the specifications an engineer handed you: mounting a part, running sensor cables, calibrating (adjusting so the readings are accurate) the computer that collects readings. You run a readiness check, then the test itself, watching instruments for anything off. Something reads wrong, so you trace it, swap a faulty component, and rerun. Afternoon is quieter work: logging data, comparing it against expected numbers, writing up what you found. Then you walk the results over to the engineers and talk them through it. Test schedules are tight, so some days end with pressure to finish.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Like working with your hands and with precise instruments
- ✓Enjoy figuring out why something is not behaving the way it should
- ✓Keep careful, accurate records without being told twice
- ✓Can explain technical findings out loud to engineers
- ✓Are interested in aircraft and spacecraft up close
You might not like it if you…
- –Dislike deadlines and the pressure of a tight test schedule
- –Want to design the aircraft rather than test and measure other people's designs
- –Find repetitive checks and detailed data logging boring
- –Prefer working outdoors or moving around all day
How people get in
- 1Take math, physics, and any shop, electronics, or engineering classes your school offers.
- 2Earn an associate's degree, the typical entry education, in a field like aeronautical or aerospace engineering technology, avionics maintenance technology (the electronics that run aircraft), electronics engineering technology, or air and space operations technology.
- 3Get hands-on practice with test instruments, wiring, and hand and power tools through labs, a school project team, or a part-time repair job.
- 4Look for an internship or a co-op, which is a paid work term arranged through your school, with an aerospace manufacturer, testing lab, or government facility; this is a common way to get experience and meet people in the field.
- 5Apply for entry-level roles testing systems or looking after measuring equipment, and expect to learn the specific test setups on the job, often alongside experienced technicians and engineers.
Who tends to enjoy it
Hands-on
People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Curious
People who like figuring things out, research, science, and solving problems.
Official task list
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians operate, install, adjust, and maintain integrated computer/communications systems, consoles, simulators, and other data acquisition, test, and measurement instruments and equipment, which are used to launch, track, position, and evaluate air and space vehicles. May record and interpret test data. (O*NET)
- Test aircraft systems under simulated operational conditions, performing systems readiness tests and pre- and post-operational checkouts, to establish design or fabrication parameters.
- Identify required data, data acquisition plans, and test parameters, setting up equipment to conform to these specifications.
- Inspect, diagnose, maintain, and operate test setups and equipment to detect malfunctions.
- Confer with engineering personnel regarding details and implications of test procedures and results.
- Operate and calibrate computer systems and devices to comply with test requirements and to perform data acquisition and analysis.
- Record and interpret test data on parts, assemblies, and mechanisms.
- Adjust, repair, or replace faulty components of test setups and equipment.
- Fabricate and install parts and systems to be tested in test equipment, using hand tools, power tools, and test instruments.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Active Listening
- Speaking
What you'll need to know
- Mechanical
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
- Customer and Personal Service
How much Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians make
The median pay for Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians in the U.S. is $82,890 a year ($39.85 an hour). Most earn between $59,050 and $125,160. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in Washington ($125,160) and lowest in Oklahoma ($45,590).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $62,130 | 140 |
| Alaska | $105,780 | 40 |
| Arizona | $75,230 | 380 |
| California | $99,000 | 1,560 |
| Colorado | $98,990 | 660 |
| Connecticut | $79,410 | 70 |
| Florida | $78,560 | 770 |
| Indiana | $62,520 | 480 |
| Kansas | $78,350 | 580 |
| Maryland | $91,820 | 200 |
| Massachusetts | $79,420 | 30 |
| Michigan | $69,840 | 70 |
| Minnesota | $71,240 | — |
| Nevada | $102,980 | 50 |
| New Mexico | $66,460 | — |
| New York | $64,480 | 330 |
| Ohio | $79,310 | 900 |
| Oklahoma | $45,590 | 30 |
| Oregon | $81,100 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,770 | 80 |
| Texas | $78,350 | 950 |
| Utah | $76,680 | 400 |
| Virginia | $81,040 | 270 |
| Washington | $125,160 | 1,590 |
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology / Technician 462 colleges
- Engineering Technologies / Technicians 261 colleges
- Aeronautical / Aerospace Engineering Technology / Technician 38 colleges
- Avionics Maintenance Technology / Technician 53 colleges
- Air and Space Operations Technology 5 colleges
- Aerospace Ground Equipment Technology 2 colleges
- Astronautical Engineering 3 colleges
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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 17-3021.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 17-3021. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.