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Aviation Maintenance Schools in Illinois
40 schools in Illinois offer aviation maintenance-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 5 registered apprenticeship programs in Illinois train aviation maintenance apprentices — see apprenticeships. Federal program data groups aviation maintenance with diesel mechanics and automotive technology — schools below may offer any of these.
Occupation pay is what working aviation maintenance professionals in Illinois earn (all experience levels) — school "earnings" figures above are medians for each school's recent federally-aided students across all its programs, which read lower.
Aviation Maintenance licensing in Illinois: No license required
Illinois does not license aircraft mechanics — even at O'Hare and Midway, the only required credential is the federal FAA Mechanic Certificate with Airframe and Powerplant ratings (A&P) under 14 CFR Part 65. Test eligibility comes from an FAA Part 147 school (typically 18-24 months; Illinois options include Lewis University and community college programs) or 30 months of documented supervised experience for both ratings (18 months for one), followed by 3 written exams plus oral and practical tests. Without the certificate, you may only work under supervision of a certificated mechanic or a Part 145 repair station.
Official source: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Flight Standards Service — no Illinois state board licenses aircraft mechanics · Exam: 3 FAA written knowledge tests (General, Airframe, Powerplant) plus oral and practical exams with an FAA Designated Mechanic Examiner; 70% passing, all tests within 24 months · Typical requirement: Age 18+, English proficiency; graduate an FAA Part 147 school (typically 18-24 months) OR document 18 months of practical experience per rating (30 months for both A&P)
Official license records related to aviation maintenance in Illinois
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- ELEVATOR MECHANIC — Illinois State Fire Marshall
- TEMPORARY ELEVATOR MECHANIC — Illinois State Fire Marshall
- LIMITED ELEVATOR MECHANIC — Illinois State Fire Marshall
- AUTOMOTIVE PARTS RECYCLER — Illinois Secretary of State
- REPAIRER LICENSES — Illinois State Fire Marshall
- REBUILDER — Illinois Secretary of State
Wage and license data provided by CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and Minnesota DEED.
Schools, ranked by earnings per tuition dollar
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joliet Junior College | Joliet | public | $1,672 | 20.4% | $42,889 |
| Illinois Valley Community College | Oglesby | public | $2,232 | 37.2% | $40,810 |
| Lake Land College | Mattoon | public | $2,254 | 55% | $38,877 |
| Moraine Valley Community College | Palos Hills | public | $2,829 | 29.6% | $43,892 |
| Lewis and Clark Community College | Godfrey | public | $3,349 | 50% | $37,724 |
| Richland Community College | Decatur | public | $3,741 | 31.3% | $38,793 |
| Triton College | River Grove | public | $4,138 | 18.5% | $41,728 |
| Carl Sandburg College | Galesburg | public | $3,662 | 51.5% | $35,274 |
| Oakton College | Des Plaines | public | $5,183 | 16% | $47,852 |
| Lincoln Land Community College | Springfield | public | $4,299 | 39.4% | $38,479 |
| Kishwaukee College | Malta | public | $4,574 | 36.6% | $39,657 |
| Kankakee Community College | Kankakee | public | $4,665 | 33.6% | $38,767 |
| Morton College | Cicero | public | $5,191 | 26.2% | $42,406 |
| Shawnee Community College | Ullin | public | $4,162 | 42.1% | $32,999 |
| Prairie State College | Chicago Heights | public | $4,738 | 20.4% | $36,696 |
| Elgin Community College | Elgin | public | $6,026 | 32.5% | $45,516 |
| Rock Valley College | Rockford | public | $5,242 | 32.4% | $39,158 |
| Danville Area Community College | Danville | public | $4,777 | 35.2% | $34,867 |
| Highland Community College | Freeport | public | $5,713 | 36.6% | $37,928 |
| McHenry County College | Crystal Lake | public | $7,042 | 36.4% | $45,143 |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | public | $7,401 | 24.7% | $46,909 |
| John A Logan College | Carterville | public | $5,541 | 31.7% | $34,096 |
| Kaskaskia College | Centralia | public | $6,477 | 39.1% | $38,801 |
| College of Lake County | Grayslake | public | $7,607 | 34.1% | $43,424 |
| John Wood Community College | Quincy | public | $7,050 | 42.1% | $38,631 |
| Black Hawk College | Moline | public | $6,944 | 31.7% | $37,253 |
| Parkland College | Champaign | public | $8,048 | 29.5% | $38,320 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | Chicago | public | $7,863 | 23.8% | $36,484 |
| Waubonsee Community College | Sugar Grove | public | $11,442 | 32.2% | $44,788 |
| Rend Lake College | Ina | public | $9,187 | 55.8% | $35,775 |
| Illinois Eastern Community Colleges | Olney | public | $10,092 | 56.1% | $37,533 |
| Southwestern Illinois College | Belleville | public | $10,427 | 33.1% | $36,884 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College | Chicago | public | $9,038 | 49.2% | $31,114 |
| Heartland Community College | Normal | public | $12,013 | 26.5% | $40,768 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | Chicago | public | $9,494 | 27.4% | $28,467 |
| Southeastern Illinois College | Harrisburg | public | $11,437 | 39.3% | $33,763 |
| Illinois Central College | East Peoria | public | $12,961 | 36.3% | $37,366 |
| Universal Technical Institute of Illinois Inc | Lisle | private for-profit | $27,060 | 61% | $52,873 |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Chicago | Chicago | private for-profit | $27,347 | not reported | $53,341 |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park | Melrose Park | private for-profit | $25,598 | 61.7% | $38,683 |
Ranking = median earnings 10 years after entry per $1,000 of average yearly net price (methodology). Figures are institution-wide federal medians for each school as a whole — not aviation maintenance graduates specifically. Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
Common questions: Aviation Maintenance school in Illinois
- How much do Aviation Maintenance schools cost in Illinois?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 40 aviation maintenance schools in Illinois is $6,252. Individual schools range widely — the table above shows each school's real cost, not sticker price.
- Do you need a license to work as a aviation maintenance in Illinois?
- Illinois does not license aircraft mechanics — even at O'Hare and Midway, the only required credential is the federal FAA Mechanic Certificate with Airframe and Powerplant ratings (A&P) under 14 CFR Part 65. Test eligibility comes from an FAA Part 147 school (typically 18-24 months; Illinois options include Lewis University and community college programs) or 30 months of documented supervised experience for both ratings (18 months for one), followed by 3 written exams plus oral and practical tests. Without the certificate, you may only work under supervision of a certificated mechanic or a Part 145 repair station.
- Can you get paid to train as a aviation maintenance in Illinois?
- Yes — Illinois has 5 registered apprenticeship programs where you earn wages while you train instead of paying tuition. See the aviation maintenance apprenticeships page for the current list.
- What does a aviation maintenance earn in Illinois?
- Working aviation maintenance professionals in Illinois earn a median of $81,680 per year, ranging from about $46,460 to $130,950 (U.S. Department of Labor). This is what people in the job earn, which differs from a school's reported graduate-earnings figure.
Aid deadlines for aviation maintenance programs in Illinois
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Aviation Maintenance schools in nearby states
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See all states & the full aviation maintenance guide →