GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
Best States to Be a Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a aircraft mechanics and service technicians salary goes furthest in Nevada — a $94,890 BLS median worth $94,910 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 121.1).
Which US states are best for a aircraft mechanics and service technicians after cost of living and tax?
For a aircraft mechanics and service technicians, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Nevada #1: a $94,890 BLS median becomes $94,910 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 121.1). West Virginia ranks last ($49,332, index 63.0). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 50 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Nevada ranks #1 of 50 states for a aircraft mechanics and service technicians. Index 100 = the average state; 121.1 means pay goes 21.1% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedAircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $94,890 | — | 100.0 | $94,910 | 121.1 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $105,370 | $4,522 | 108.8 | $92,687 | 118.3 |
| 3 | Washington | $98,980 | — | 107.0 | $92,493 | 118.0 |
| 4 | Maryland | $100,500 | $4,441 | 105.0 | $91,520 | 116.8 |
| 5 | New York | $102,800 | $5,120 | 107.9 | $90,511 | 115.5 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $96,830 | $3,751 | 103.6 | $89,836 | 114.6 |
| 7 | Alaska | $91,150 | — | 102.4 | $89,049 | 113.6 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $84,440 | $2,861 | 92.2 | $88,469 | 112.9 |
| 9 | Alabama | $82,260 | $3,848 | 88.8 | $88,279 | 112.7 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $81,040 | — | 91.9 | $88,212 | 112.6 |
| 11 | Louisiana | $79,780 | $2,018 | 88.2 | $88,158 | 112.5 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $77,740 | $278 | 89.0 | $87,076 | 111.1 |
| 13 | Texas | $84,440 | — | 97.1 | $87,000 | 111.0 |
| 14 | South Dakota | $75,750 | — | 88.6 | $85,510 | 109.1 |
| 15 | Ohio | $80,570 | $1,433 | 92.8 | $85,301 | 108.9 |
| 16 | Kansas | $80,270 | $3,679 | 90.1 | $85,036 | 108.5 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $93,040 | $4,432 | 105.8 | $83,785 | 106.9 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $74,880 | $2,490 | 87.0 | $83,252 | 106.2 |
| 19 | Oklahoma | $74,390 | $2,996 | 87.8 | $81,275 | 103.7 |
| 20 | Delaware | $83,550 | $4,173 | 99.8 | $79,529 | 101.5 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $81,980 | $4,086 | 98.6 | $78,983 | 100.8 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $76,980 | $2,730 | 94.3 | $78,717 | 100.5 |
| 23 | Illinois | $81,680 | $3,902 | 100.0 | $77,811 | 99.3 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $90,830 | $5,373 | 110.0 | $77,723 | 99.2 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $78,000 | $2,395 | 97.6 | $77,487 | 98.9 |
| 26 | Virginia | $82,200 | $3,927 | 101.1 | $77,419 | 98.8 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $75,160 | $3,053 | 93.7 | $76,915 | 98.2 |
| 28 | Colorado | $82,080 | $2,952 | 103.1 | $76,785 | 98.0 |
| 29 | Iowa | $69,890 | $2,616 | 87.8 | $76,655 | 97.8 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $79,610 | — | 104.2 | $76,427 | 97.5 |
| 31 | Missouri | $71,470 | $2,478 | 90.8 | $75,968 | 97.0 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $73,930 | $2,766 | 94.1 | $75,630 | 96.5 |
| 33 | Vermont | $76,370 | $2,659 | 98.0 | $75,248 | 96.0 |
| 34 | Georgia | $75,640 | $3,430 | 96.3 | $74,990 | 95.7 |
| 35 | Michigan | $74,900 | $2,937 | 96.2 | $74,793 | 95.5 |
| 36 | Florida | $76,940 | — | 103.4 | $74,400 | 95.0 |
| 37 | California | $86,100 | $3,885 | 110.7 | $74,254 | 94.8 |
| 38 | Oregon | $82,850 | $6,445 | 103.4 | $73,920 | 94.3 |
| 39 | Arizona | $75,300 | $1,408 | 100.7 | $73,396 | 93.7 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $65,420 | $2,343 | 86.9 | $72,555 | 92.6 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $67,920 | $2,586 | 90.2 | $72,465 | 92.5 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $64,020 | $2,233 | 90.1 | $68,574 | 87.5 |
| 43 | Utah | $70,160 | $3,192 | 98.9 | $67,737 | 86.4 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $70,720 | $2,052 | 102.3 | $67,137 | 85.7 |
| 45 | Maine | $67,890 | $2,968 | 97.0 | $66,896 | 85.4 |
| 46 | Indiana | $63,400 | $1,872 | 93.3 | $65,926 | 84.1 |
| 47 | Montana | $64,170 | $2,648 | 94.6 | $65,003 | 83.0 |
| 48 | Idaho | $61,250 | $2,368 | 95.5 | $61,661 | 78.7 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $56,680 | — | 92.7 | $61,149 | 78.0 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $45,470 | $1,320 | 89.5 | $49,332 | 63.0 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 50 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Nevada, a $94,890 salary is worth about $94,910 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $94,890 · BEA cost of living 100.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $107,116, a $12,206 gain over Nevada.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $107,116 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $104,891 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $104,349 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $104,326 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $104,013 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $104,000 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $103,287 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $102,891 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $102,372 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $101,489 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $101,038 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $100,915 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a aircraft mechanics and service technicians?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Nevada is the best state for a aircraft mechanics and service technicians: a BLS median of $94,890 is worth $94,910 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 100.0), an index of 121.1 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. New Jersey has the highest headline BLS median for a aircraft mechanics and service technicians at $105,370, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #2 of 50 on real pay (index 118.3). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a aircraft mechanics and service technicians salary go least far?
- West Virginia ranks last of 50 states for a aircraft mechanics and service technicians: a $45,470 BLS median is worth only $49,332 after tax and cost of living (index 63.0). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
Get the Gera US Real Pay Index when BLS refreshes OEWS
BLS OEWS updates roughly once a year. Save your email and we’ll send the refreshed real-pay rankings when new wage data lands.
Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a aircraft mechanics and service technicians is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.