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Aviation Maintenance Schools in Pennsylvania
34 schools in Pennsylvania offer aviation maintenance-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 1 registered apprenticeship program in Pennsylvania trains 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania: No license required
Pennsylvania issues no state license for aircraft mechanics — the 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; the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics is a longstanding PA program) 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 can only work under supervision of a certificated mechanic or a Part 145 repair station.
Official source: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Flight Standards Service — no Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- Mechanical Inspector (UCC) — PA Department of Labor & Industry~Certification; Accreditation; & Licensing Division~Certification Accreditation & Licensing Division
- Residential Mechanical Inspector (UCC) — PA Department of Labor & Industry~Certification; Accreditation; & Licensing Division~Certification Accreditation & Licensing Division
- Mechanical Plans Examiner (UCC) — PA Department of Labor & Industry~Certification; Accreditation; & Licensing Division~Certification Accreditation & Licensing Division
- Vehicle Manufacturer — Department of State~Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs~Vehicle Board
- Asbestos Project Designer — PA Department of Labor & Industry~Certification; Accreditation; & Licensing Division~Certification Accreditation & Licensing Division
- Asbestos Contractor (Individual) — PA Department of Labor & Industry~Certification; Accreditation; & Licensing Division~Certification Accreditation & Licensing Division
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware County Community College | Media | public | $6,576 | 18.3% | $45,391 |
| New Castle School of Trades | New Castle | private for-profit | $8,361 | 78.4% | $44,814 |
| Luzerne County Community College | Nanticoke | public | $9,433 | 24.1% | $40,437 |
| Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology | Pleasant Gap | public | $9,857 | 90.8% | $41,677 |
| Automotive Training Center-Exton | Exton | private for-profit | $12,578 | 71% | $51,112 |
| York County School of Technology-Adult & Continuing Education | York | public | $13,490 | 89.7% | $54,322 |
| Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology | Lancaster | public | $14,104 | 67.1% | $54,681 |
| Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center | Johnstown | public | $14,111 | 76.6% | $48,881 |
| Northampton County Area Community College | Bethlehem | public | $12,119 | 29.8% | $41,566 |
| Community College of Philadelphia | Philadelphia | public | $11,911 | 18.4% | $40,852 |
| Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center | Altoona | public | $12,419 | 71.5% | $38,008 |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | Harrisburg | public | $14,471 | 21.3% | $42,007 |
| Clearfield County Career and Technology Center | Clearfield | public | $14,460 | 80.4% | $41,559 |
| Automotive Training Center-Warminster | Warminster | private for-profit | $18,088 | 67.9% | $51,112 |
| Community College of Allegheny County | Pittsburgh | public | $13,970 | 25.3% | $39,449 |
| YTI Career Institute-York | York | private for-profit | $14,637 | 77.1% | $40,672 |
| Johnson College | Scranton | private nonprofit | $19,954 | 57.3% | $55,194 |
| Somerset County Technology Center | Somerset | public | $14,444 | 89.1% | $37,558 |
| Lancaster County Career and Technology Center | Willow Street | public | $17,505 | 77.2% | $44,566 |
| Rosedale Technical College | Pittsburgh | private nonprofit | $19,760 | 81% | $47,880 |
| Pennco Tech-Bristol | Bristol | private for-profit | $19,197 | 72.3% | $43,493 |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | public | $25,110 | 61% | $52,567 |
| Universal Technical Institute of Pennsylvania Inc | Exton | private for-profit | $24,883 | 67.3% | $51,222 |
| Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics | West Mifflin | private nonprofit | $32,618 | 71.6% | $66,642 |
| Fayette County Career & Technical Institute Practical Nursing Program | Uniontown | public | $24,194 | 72.4% | $49,229 |
| Indiana County Technology Center | Indiana | public | $18,822 | 72.7% | $34,858 |
| Commonwealth Technical Institute | Johnstown | private nonprofit | $11,714 | 81.4% | $21,632 |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia | Philadelphia | private for-profit | $25,437 | 54% | $42,785 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Levittown | Levittown | private for-profit | $26,659 | 53.2% | $38,683 |
| Erie Institute of Technology Inc | Erie | private for-profit | $30,164 | 72.1% | $41,951 |
| Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center | Springville | public | $5,594 | 96.7% | not reported |
| Berks Career & Technology Center | Leesport | public | $20,536 | 70% | not reported |
| Philadelphia Technician Training | Philadelphia | private nonprofit | $22,813 | 49.8% | not reported |
| Lehigh Career & Technical Institute | Schnecksville | public | $23,735 | not reported | not reported |
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 Pennsylvania
- How much do Aviation Maintenance schools cost in Pennsylvania?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 34 aviation maintenance schools in Pennsylvania is $14,554. 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 Pennsylvania?
- Pennsylvania issues no state license for aircraft mechanics — the 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; the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics is a longstanding PA program) 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 can 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 Pennsylvania?
- Yes — Pennsylvania has 1 registered apprenticeship program 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 Pennsylvania?
- Working aviation maintenance professionals in Pennsylvania earn a median of $78,000 per year, ranging from about $48,560 to $136,510 (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 Pennsylvania
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Aviation Maintenance schools in nearby states
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