Every rate below is transcribed from the ratified collective bargaining agreement, cited to its page, and dual-read verified — not self-reported estimates. Salary aggregators publish figures for the same job that disagree with each other by tens of thousands of dollars; contracts print the actual number.
| # | Carrier | Top of scale (base rate) | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Airlines | $60.72/hr | 2026-01-01 |
| 2 | Alaska Airlines | $58.75/hr | 2025-10-17 |
| 3 | Southwest Airlines | $58.66/hr | 2025-08-16 |
| 4 | United Airlines | $51.25/hr | 2024-01-01 |
| 5 | Allegiant Air | $50.02/hr | 2025-11-01 |
| 6 | Hawaiian Airlines | $47.83/hr | 2026-02-16 |
| 7 | Horizon Air | $39.31/hr | 2026-05-06 |
| 8 | PSA Airlines | $37.87/hr | 2025-09-07 |
| 9 | Envoy Air | $37.14/hr | 2026-05-13 |
Base rate only — before the A&P license premium, shift differential, lead pay, overtime and retirement contributions, which differ by carrier and can reorder take-home ranking. Each carrier page carries every verified addition with its citation.
Cargo carriers are often quoted with precise-looking figures by salary aggregators. This page does not rank them, because: UPS mechanics are IBT Local 2727–represented but the current agreement text is not publicly posted — this site publishes only numbers it can cite to an archived public document; FedEx Express mechanics are not union-represented and no CBA exists; Delta mechanics are not union-represented — the employer-published comparison material is archived here but is not a ratified pay scale. When a public document exists, it joins the ranking. See Coverage for every carrier’s status and source.
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