Key Figures for Aviation Maintenance Schools in Alaska
Aviation Maintenance Schools in Alaska
3
FAA AV-Info, Sep 2026
Ranked in This State
3
Methodology 2.1
Top Score in the State
55.4
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Median Aircraft Mechanic Pay
$91,150
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Aircraft Mechanics Employed
1,470
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Anchorage employs aircraft mechanics at a location quotient of 6.39, one of the strongest concentrations of the occupation covered anywhere on this site, and Alaska's aircraft mechanic job growth is projected at 7.6% through 2034, above the national rate of 4%.
University of Alaska Anchorage runs a public Airframe and Powerplant Associate of Applied Science, taught in day classes across four semesters, alongside standalone Airframe and Powerplant certificates. University of Alaska Fairbanks, also public, is one of relatively few Part 147 schools nationally completable within a year, while Yuut Elitnaurviat in Bethel teaches an 18-month intensive program capped at 10 students.
Aircraft mechanics in Alaska earn a median of $91,150 a year, well above the $79,870 national median, and the state ranks 8th among 50 states for that pay. Growth is projected at 7.6% through 2034, above the national rate of 4%, adding 120 positions.
Top Picks
Top Picks in Alaska
Among the aviation maintenance schools in Alaska, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties and one-school lists produce none.
Top Pick in Alaska
Most Affordable in Alaska
Best Outcomes in Alaska
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Highest overall score of the 3 ranked schools, 55.4 out of 100.
Lowest comparable program cost of the 2 ranked schools with one: $8,072, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 2 ranked schools that report one: 38%.
Alaska Ranking
Top-Ranked Aircraft Mechanic Schools in Alaska
The 3 ranked aviation maintenance schools in Alaska, best score first. Each card shows the school's verified facts and the points it earned on each factor. Scores are national, out of 100, so a school scores the same here as on the national ranking.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick in Alaska
- Most Affordable in Alaska
- Best Outcomes in Alaska
#1
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska #44 nationally
55.4 of 100
This program fits Alaska students who want the fastest route to an airframe and powerplant credential, completing training in 12 months at a dedicated airport-based facility.
- Type
- University
- Credentials
- Airframe and Powerplant Certificate; Airframe Certificate; plus 2 more
- Length
- 12 months (one-year program)
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Starts
- New cohort begins the last week of August of each year
-
#2
Yuut Elitnaurviat
Bethel, Alaska #158 nationally
39.7 of 100
This program fits students seeking a rural Alaska aviation maintenance program with small class sizes and on-campus boarding, since the nearest alternative Part 147 school sits 403.5 miles away.
- Type
- Technical College
- Credentials
- A&P Certification
- Length
- 18-month intensive program (YAMT 101 General 71 days/426 hours
-
#3
University of Alaska Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska #159 nationally
39.4 of 100
This program fits Alaska students who want a two-year associate degree in combined airframe and powerplant maintenance, training on a fleet that includes a retired airliner.
- Type
- University
- Credentials
- AAS in Aviation Maintenance Technology; Airframe Certificate; plus 1 more
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Starts
- Fall and Spring semesters
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Alaska Fairbanks | 55.4 | 14.1 | 16.4 | 14 | 10 | 0.9 |
| 2 | Yuut Elitnaurviat | 39.7 | † | † | 8 | 0 | † |
| 3 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 39.4 | 5.2 | 7.4 | 14 | 10 | 2.8 |
By Metro Area
Aviation Maintenance School Rankings by Alaska Metro Area
Each metro ranking scores every school within commuting range and adds the local airports, employers, and BLS pay for aircraft mechanics.
| Metro Ranking | Schools Within 100 mi | Top-Ranked School | Median Pay, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aviation maintenance schools near Anchorage | 1 | University of Alaska Anchorage | $94,120 |
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Alaska
BLS reports a median annual wage of $91,150 ($43.82 an hour) for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in Alaska, where 1,470 people held the job in May 2025. That median ranks 8th of the 50 states with published data; the national median is $79,870.
Projections Central expects statewide employment in the occupation to move from 1,570 in 2024 to 1,690 in 2034 (+7.6%), with about 140 openings a year.
Avionics Technician Pay in Alaska
See the full Alaska aircraft mechanic salary breakdown by metro area
Local Context
Anchorage's Outsized Concentration of Aircraft Mechanic Jobs
Anchorage's location quotient of 6.39 for aircraft mechanics means the metro employs the occupation at more than six times the national rate, among the strongest concentrations covered on this site. The metro's population, 407,213, is modest next to that number.
University of Alaska Anchorage sits inside that same metro, giving students a path into aircraft maintenance work without leaving the state's busiest aviation market. Fairbanks and Bethel, the state's other two training sites, serve pilots and mechanics farther from the coast.
A Village-Based Path Into Aircraft Maintenance
Yuut Elitnaurviat in Bethel offers boarding on campus and financial aid through state and tribal programs, alongside its 18-month intensive Airframe and Powerplant curriculum. That combination puts aircraft maintenance training within reach in a part of Alaska far from Anchorage or Fairbanks.
Two Public Schools, Two Different Timelines
University of Alaska Anchorage spreads Airframe and Powerplant training across four semesters, or longer if a student pursues both ratings on separate timelines. University of Alaska Fairbanks compresses the same two ratings into a single cohort that starts every August and finishes within a year, one of relatively few programs nationally built that way.
Methodology
How We Rank Aviation Maintenance Schools in Alaska
Every open FAA-approved college-level school gets one national score out of 100: Outcomes 30 (IPEDS graduation rate), Cost 25 (comparable whole-program price), Program Depth 20, Access 15, and Scale 10 (IPEDS awards a year). This page orders the schools in Alaska by that score, so the ranks here match the national list of 204 ranked schools.
The full rules, including how a missing figure is scored at the peer median, are on our ranking methodology page.
FAA Certification
Getting Your A&P License in Alaska
The FAA issues the mechanic certificate with Airframe and Powerplant ratings, known as the A&P, under federal rules in 14 CFR Part 65, so the path is the same in every state. You qualify by graduating from an FAA-approved school or by documenting at least 30 months of hands-on work for both ratings, then passing three FAA knowledge tests and an oral and practical exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many FAA Part 147 Aircraft Maintenance Schools Are in Alaska?
How Long Is Aviation Maintenance School in Alaska?
How Does Aircraft Mechanic Pay in Alaska Compare to the National Median?
What Is the Job Growth Outlook for Aircraft Mechanics in Alaska?
Is the Aircraft Mechanic License a State or Federal Credential?
What Credentials Do Alaska's Aviation Maintenance Schools Award?
Sources
- FAA AV-Info Part 147 school records
- IPEDS via Hapi, CIP 47.0607-47.0609 (all levels) + 49.0104 (bachelor's/master's)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates
- Projections Central, State Occupational Employment Projections 2024-2034
- eCFR 14 CFR Part 65, Subpart D (Mechanics)
- FAA - Become an Aviation Mechanic
- FAA - Experience Requirements to Become an Aircraft Mechanic
All sources retrieved .
How we source and check each listing is explained on our data methodology page.