Little Rock at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Little Rock
2
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
63.7
SAU Tech
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Little Rock Metro
320
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$72,700
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
1.02
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 30780).
Dassault Aircraft Services runs its Falcon jet completion center at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, the largest Dassault facility in the world, handling airframe and engine maintenance, avionics installation, interior modification, and exterior refurbishment. Local aircraft mechanics and service technicians earn a median $72,700 a year, just below the $79,870 U.S. median.
Training is close by. University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College's Aerospace Technology Center, in North Little Rock, is 10 miles away and offers an AAS along with airframe and powerplant certificates. Southern Arkansas University Tech, in Camden, is 83.3 miles out with its own AAS in aviation maintenance technology.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Little Rock
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Little Rock, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Little Rock
Most Affordable Near Little Rock
Best Outcomes Near Little Rock
Southern Arkansas University Tech
Highest overall score of the 3 ranked schools, 63.7 out of 100.
Lowest comparable program cost of the 3 ranked schools with one: $6,900, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 2 ranked schools that report one: 62%.
Little Rock Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Little Rock
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Little Rock, ordered by score, plus the nearest ranked schools out to 125 miles so the list has at least 3. Scores are national, out of 100, and the table after the cards shows the points behind them.
Distances are straight-line miles from the center of Little Rock.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Little Rock
- Most Affordable Near Little Rock
- Best Outcomes Near Little Rock
#1
Southern Arkansas University Tech
Camden, Arkansas 83 miles from Little Rock #18 nationally
63.7 of 100
Southern Arkansas University Tech fits students who want a public four-semester path to an aviation maintenance associate degree, with prerequisites available online before in-person training in Camden, Arkansas.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- AAS; Technical Certificate; plus 1 more
- Length
- 4 semesters (87 credit hours) for the AAS degree
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#2
Arkansas State University Mid-South
West Memphis, Arkansas 125 miles from Little Rock #117 nationally
42.7 of 100
This program fits students near West Memphis who want a public two-year path to combined airframe and powerplant ratings, completed in four semesters for about $13,091.50 in total cost.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS); Technical Certificate in Airframe Maintenance Technology
- Length
- 4 semesters, 70 to 73 credit hours (16 general education credits plus 54 to 57 aviation credits)
- Cost
- $13,091.50, total program, in-district (range $12,858-$13,325)
-
#3
University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College
North Little Rock, Arkansas 10 miles from Little Rock #136 nationally
40.9 of 100
This program fits Arkansas students who want a two-year path to combined airframe and powerplant ratings, with day or evening scheduling and access to FAA Designated Mechanics Examiners.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Applied Science in Aviation Maintenance; Technical Certificate in Aviation Maintenance Airframe; plus 1 more
- Cost
- $18,000, total program
- Schedule
- Day and Evening Classes
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SAU Tech | 63.7 | 26.2 | 18.5 | 14 | 5 | 0 |
| 2 | ASU Mid-South | 42.7 | † | 9.5 | 14 | 0 | † |
| 3 | UA-PTC | 40.9 | 12.3 | 6.8 | 14 | 5 | 2.8 |
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in Arkansas ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Little Rock
Aircraft mechanics in the Little Rock metro area earn a median of $72,700 a year ($34.95 an hour), $7,280 above the Arkansas median of $65,420.
Little Rock Pay vs. Arkansas and U.S. Medians
The Little Rock median is $7,170 below the U.S. median of $79,870.
Compare metro areas across the state on the Arkansas aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Little Rock
BLS counts 320 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Little Rock metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 1.02.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Business Aviation
Dassault Aircraft Services (Dassault Falcon Jet)
Falcon jet Completion Center and Service Center at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, Little Rock
Dassault Aircraft Services operates its worldwide Falcon jet completion center and a service center at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, the largest Dassault facility in the world, performing airframe and engine maintenance, avionics installation, interior modification and exterior refurbishment.
Workforce of approximately 1,400 employees, with plans to add roughly 800 more jobs
Source: Dassault Falcon Jet - Encyclopedia of Arkansas (encyclopediaofarkansas.net)
Military Depot
19th Airlift Wing
C-130J Hercules maintenance wing at Little Rock Air Force Base
The 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base flies and maintains the Department of Defense's largest C-130 Hercules transport fleet through its own aircraft maintenance and maintenance operations squadrons.
Source: 19th Airlift Wing - Wikipedia (Wikipedia)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Bill and Hillary Clinton Ntl/Adams Field (LIT) recorded 1,145,693 passenger boardings in 2024, the most of the airports listed here.
| Airport | FAA ID | Hub Class | Passenger Boardings, 2024 | All-Cargo Landed Weight, 2024 (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill and Hillary Clinton Ntl/Adams Field | LIT | Small hub | 1,145,693 | 135,663,184 |
| Memorial Field | HOT | 3,303 |
Local Context
The Air Force's Largest C-130 Fleet Flies From Here
Little Rock Air Force Base is home to the airlift wing that flies and maintains the Department of Defense's largest Hercules transport fleet, through its own aircraft maintenance and maintenance operations squadrons. That's a steady stream of airframe and engine work separate from anything happening at the civilian airport across town.
A Second Airport Widens the Job Market
Clinton National Airport isn't the only field in the metro. Memorial Field, in Hot Springs, handled 3,303 enplanements in 2024, a small general aviation airport that adds another kind of maintenance work outside the capital.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Little Rock: Common Questions
What Schools Near Little Rock Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Little Rock?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Little Rock?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work in Little Rock?
Do Hours at a Local Employer Count Toward FAA Certification?
More Metro Guides
Aviation Maintenance School Rankings in Other Metro Areas
Sources for School and Pay Data
- FAA AV-Info Part 147 school records
- Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025: Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (49-3011)
- Commercial Service Airports, CY2024 Enplanements
- Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- Dassault Aircraft Services (Dassault Falcon Jet): Dassault Falcon Jet - Encyclopedia of Arkansas
- 19th Airlift Wing: 19th Airlift Wing - Wikipedia
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.