Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers Salary: $61,189 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 32,890 aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers nationally earn a mean of $61,189. Employment in the series shown fell about 9% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 5.1% annual decline.
Key Statistics
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers: what the data shows
Common questions about aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers?
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 51-2011.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 32,890 workers.
What does a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Controlling Machines and Processes, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Getting Information, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Documenting/Recording Information, Handling and Moving Objects, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $61,680 (May 2024 in our extract).
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,804 |
| 25th percentile | $49,236 |
| Median (50th) | $57,619 |
| 75th percentile | $66,545 |
| 90th percentile | $86,951 |
What education do you need?
For Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Quality Control Analysis, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Equipment Maintenance, and knowledge areas including Mathematics, Education and Training, Mechanical, English Language. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 5.1% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -23.2%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -41.0%.
Current U.S. headcount: 32,890.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblerss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 32,890 | 19.9% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 32,890 | 19.9% |
| Manufacturing | 30,040 | 18.1% |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 30,020 | 18.1% |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 30,010 | 18.1% |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 1,250 | 0.8% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | 497,800 | $103,790 |
| Highway Maintenance Workers | 151,750 | $49,070 |
| Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers | 81,510 | $59,300 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | 318,570 | $96,800 |
| Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers | 97,540 | $38,860 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 136,390 | $78,680 |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | 36,880 | $52,080 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers workforce.
Employment Over Time
32,890 Workforce in 2023
The Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$61,189 Average Wage
In 2023, Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers earned an average of $61,189.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Salary distribution for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Employment Growth Projections
-5.1% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
4,792 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -23.2%
3,680 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -41.0%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Wage Trends by Industry
-3.0% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Total, All Industry: -4.9% growth (Current: $80,225)
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- KS: 10,470 employees, $64,300 avg wage
- WA: 4,760 employees, $78,990 avg wage
- TX: 3,260 employees, $70,870 avg wage
- GA: 3,030 employees, $65,120 avg wage
- CA: 1,720 employees, $59,640 avg wage
- FL: 1,330 employees, $62,220 avg wage
- PA: 1,140 employees, $76,720 avg wage
- AL: 780 employees, $63,980 avg wage
- NC: 660 employees, $55,620 avg wage
- AZ: 640 employees, $66,270 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Wichita, KS: 10,100 employees, $64,760 avg wage
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 4,390 employees, $79,820 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 2,450 employees, $75,070 avg wage
- Savannah, GA: 1,530 employees, N/A avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 890 employees, $84,350 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 840 employees, $57,250 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 560 employees, $62,740 avg wage
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 460 employees, $68,630 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA: 410 employees, $58,580 avg wage
- St. Louis, MO-IL: 380 employees, $66,910 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Diversity
Demographic information on Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers in 2023 was 32,890 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Business.
Common majors for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers workers.
Education level distribution for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Skills
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers need many skills, but most especially Quality Control Analysis, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving.
Required skills for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers include Mathematics, Education and Training, Mechanical, English Language, Production and Processing.
Knowledge areas required for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers include Problem Sensitivity, Near Vision, Finger Dexterity, Manual Dexterity, Information Ordering.
Required abilities for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
Daily Activities
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers spend their time on activities such as Controlling Machines and Processes, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Getting Information, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Documenting/Recording Information.
Most important work activities for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers.
About
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
The average yearly wage for Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers was $61,189 in 2023.
SOC Code
51-2011 - Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers reports an average salary of $61,189.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 32,890 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -5.1%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.