Career Explorer Installation and repair
Human edge, growing
Avionics technicians
Install, inspect, test, adjust, or repair avionics equipment, such as radar, radio, navigation, and missile control systems in aircraft or space vehicles.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 84% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +9.4% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on physical dexterity.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $82,280
- Job growth to 2035
- +9.4%
- Openings a year
- 1,700
- People doing it (2025)
- 19,800
- Usual route in
- College certificate
Where people already use AI for this work
- Test performance of equipment or systems
- Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance
- Diagnose system or equipment problems
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Assemble equipment or components
- Install commercial or production equipment
- Maintain operational records
What the work looks like
- Adjust, repair, or replace malfunctioning components or assemblies, using hand tools or soldering irons.
- Lay out installation of aircraft assemblies and systems, following documentation such as blueprints, manuals, and wiring diagrams.
- Keep records of maintenance and repair work.
- Test and troubleshoot instruments, components, and assemblies, using circuit testers, oscilloscopes, or voltmeters.
- Connect components to assemblies such as radio systems, instruments, magnetos, inverters, and in-flight refueling systems, using hand tools and soldering irons.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as growing commercial space activity increases the demand for avionics technicians to test, troubleshoot, and maintain the complex electronic systems used on spacecraft systems.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Electric motor, power tool, and related repairersHuman edge, growing, Index 88, +4.4%
- Medical equipment repairersHuman edge, growing, Index 92, +12.6%
- Maintenance and repair workers, generalHuman edge, growing, Index 94, +4.2%
- Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfittersHuman edge, growing, Index 91, +6.8%
Also known as: Aircraft Electrical Systems Specialist, Avionics Electronics Technician (Avionics Electronics Tech), Avionics Installer, Avionics Repair Technician (Avionics Repair Tech), Aircraft Technician (Aircraft Tech), Aviation Electrical Technician (Aviation Electrical Tech), Aviation Electronics Technician (Aviation Electronics Tech), Avionic Technician (Avionic Tech).
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.