Best Aviation Maintenance Schools (2027)

The best aviation maintenance schools on our 100-point score are San Diego Miramar College (74.6), Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Los Angeles Campus (74.1), and Broward College (73.8). All three are FAA-approved (Part 147) schools.

San Diego Miramar College leads on about $2,760 in program tuition and a 48% graduation rate.

Spartan Los Angeles earns its points from a 64% graduation rate and 22 aviation maintenance awards a year. Broward College scores on about $3,116 in program tuition and a 39% graduation rate, plus both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings, an associate degree option, and an avionics option.

These picks among the best aviation maintenance schools come straight from the scores. A category appears only when one school clearly leads it; ties produce no pick. Regions follow the Census Bureau's four regions.

• Best for Evening Students

  San Diego Miramar College

  San Diego, California · Rank 1, score 74.6

  Highest-scoring school that publishes an evening, weekend, or hybrid schedule option.

• Best for GI Bill Students

  San Diego Miramar College

  San Diego, California · Rank 1, score 74.6

  Highest-scoring school that states GI Bill approval for the program.

• Best University Pathway

  Kansas State University Salina

  Salina, Kansas · Rank 4, score 72.2

  Highest-scoring four-year university in the ranking.

• Best Private Aviation School

  Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Los Angeles Campus

  Inglewood, California · Rank 2, score 74.1

  Highest-scoring private aviation school in the ranking.

• Best in the Northeast

  Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, Pittsburgh Campus

  West Mifflin, Pennsylvania · Rank 12, score 65.9

  Highest score among ranked schools in the Census Northeast region.

• Best in the Midwest

  Kansas State University Salina

  Salina, Kansas · Rank 4, score 72.2

  Highest score among ranked schools in the Census Midwest region.

• Best in the South

  Broward College

  Pembroke Pines, Florida · Rank 3, score 73.8

  Highest score among ranked schools in the Census South region.

• Best in the West

  San Diego Miramar College

  San Diego, California · Rank 1, score 74.6

  Highest score among ranked schools in the Census West region.

Each card shows the facts behind the score: the school's own program details, its IPEDS graduation rate and yearly completions, and the points earned on each factor. Scores are out of 100.

1. #1

   San Diego Miramar College

   San Diego, California

   74.6 of 100

   This program suits students who want to choose between day and night tracks and can use credit for prior learning, in a Part 147 certificated program at San Diego Miramar College.

   Type

   Community College

   Credentials

   Certificate of Achievement in Aviation Maintenance Technology Airframe; Certificate of Achievement in Aviation Maintenance Technology Powerplant; plus 2 more

   Length

   approximately 1900 hours, 5 semesters, 78 units, 2.5 years to complete

   Cost

   $46, per unit, California resident (78 units for the Certificate; non-resident $304 per unit; tools and equipment not included)

   Outcomes

   48% graduation rate 22.9 / 30

   Cost

   $2,760 from IPEDS tuition 23.7 / 25

   Program Depth

   • Both Ratings
   • Associate

   14 / 20

   Access

   • GI Bill
   • Flexible Schedule

   10 / 15

   Scale

   11 awards per year 4 / 10

3. #2

   Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Los Angeles Campus

   Inglewood, California

   74.1 of 100

   This program fits students who want a choice between an 18-month diploma or a 22-month associate degree, both covering the Airframe and Powerplant ratings, at Spartan's main campus in Inglewood, California.

   Type

   Private Aviation School

   Credentials

   Diploma; Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS)

   Length

   Diploma: 18 Months; Associate of Occupational Studies: 22 months

   Outcomes

   64% graduation rate 27.1 / 30

   Cost

   Peer median 12.5 / 25

   Program Depth

   • Both Ratings
   • Associate

   14 / 20

   Access

   • GI Bill
   • Flexible Schedule
   • Start Dates

   15 / 15

   Scale

   22 awards per year 5.5 / 10

4. #3

   Broward College

   Pembroke Pines, Florida

   73.8 of 100

   This associate degree program fits someone in South Florida who wants airframe, powerplant, and avionics training under one aviation institute, on either a traditional or accelerated schedule.

   Type

   Community College

   Credentials

   Associate of Science (AS) in Aviation Maintenance

   Length

   Traditional track: 18-19 months (5 semesters); Express track: 13 months (3.5 semesters)

   Outcomes

   39% graduation rate 15 / 30

   Cost

   $3,116 from IPEDS tuition 22.9 / 25

   Program Depth

   • Both Ratings
   • Associate
   • Avionics

   20 / 20

   Access

   • GI Bill
   • Flexible Schedule
   • Start Dates

   15 / 15

   Scale

   2 awards per year 0.9 / 10

6. #4

   Kansas State University Salina

   Salina, Kansas

   72.2 of 100

   This public university program fits students who want both an associate and a bachelor's degree route to eligibility for the FAA mechanic certificate, with in-state tuition near $10,243 and hands-on hangar training in Salina, Kansas.

   Type

   University

   Credentials

   Associate degree and Bachelor's degree, with FAA A&P certification eligibility

   Outcomes

   71% graduation rate 30 / 30

   Cost

   Peer median 12.5 / 25

   Program Depth

   • Both Ratings
   • Associate
   • Avionics

   20 / 20

   Access

   • GI Bill

   5 / 15

   Scale

   15 awards per year 4.7 / 10

7. #5

   Victor Valley College

   Victorville, California

   71.1 of 100

   This fits budget-conscious California residents who want a low-cost, year-round associate degree combining airframe and powerplant training.

   Type

   Community College

   Credentials

   Associate in Science (AS) in Aviation Maintenance Technology

   Length

   18 months (per catalog)

   Cost

   $3,772, total program (8 required AVA courses, 82 units at $46/unit California resident rate)

   Outcomes

   62% graduation rate 26.2 / 30

   Cost

   $3,772 published program cost 21.7 / 25

   Program Depth

   • Both Ratings
   • Associate

   14 / 20

   Access

   • GI Bill

   5 / 15

   Scale

   12 awards per year 4.2 / 10

9. #6

   Southern Utah University

   Cedar City, Utah

   70.1 of 100

   This program fits students who want an associate degree with both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings, an avionics option, and GI Bill eligibility in Cedar City, Utah.

   Type

   University

   Credentials

   Associate's Degree with Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certifications

   Length

   about 18 months / five consecutive semesters

   Outcomes

   61% graduation rate 25.8 / 30

   Cost

   $9,279 from IPEDS tuition 14.9 / 25

   Program Depth

   • Both Ratings
   • Associate
   • Avionics

   20 / 20

   Access

   • GI Bill

   5 / 15

   Scale

   13 awards per year 4.4 / 10

10. #7

    Orange Coast College

    Costa Mesa, California

    69.4 of 100

    This program fits a working adult in Orange County who needs evening, weekend, or online scheduling and wants airframe, powerplant, avionics, and helicopter maintenance training under one roof.

    Type

    Community College

    Credentials

    Certificate of Specialization; Certificate of Achievement; plus 1 more

    Length

    Certificate of Achievement: less than 2 years; Associate Degree: under 4 years

    Cost

    $46, per unit, in-state (CA resident)

    Outcomes

    48% graduation rate 22.9 / 30

    Cost

    Peer median 12.5 / 25

    Program Depth

    • Both Ratings
    • Associate
    • Avionics

    20 / 20

    Access

    • GI Bill
    • Flexible Schedule

    10 / 15

    Scale

    11 awards per year 4 / 10

12. #8

    Gavilan College

    San Martin, California

    67.0 of 100

    This program fits someone who wants a full two-year Associate of Science in Aviation with both Airframe and Powerplant ratings, training at a public California community college's own airport campus.

    Type

    Community College

    Credentials

    Certificate of Completion in Aviation Maintenance Technology (Airframe); Certificate of Completion in Aviation Maintenance Technology (Powerplant); plus 1 more

    Outcomes

    42% graduation rate 18.2 / 30

    Cost

    $2,888 from IPEDS tuition 23.2 / 25

    Program Depth

    • Both Ratings
    • Associate

    14 / 20

    Access

    • GI Bill
    • Start Dates

    10 / 15

    Scale

    3 awards per year 1.6 / 10

13. #9

    Chaffey College

    Rancho Cucamonga, California

    67.0 of 100

    This program fits students who want avionics training added to their airframe and powerplant coursework, on a two-year track toward an associate degree in Southern California's Inland Empire.

    Type

    Community College

    Credentials

    Associate degree (Airframe and Powerplant AS); Certificate - Airframe and Powerplant Technician; plus 2 more

    Length

    2-year curriculum

    Outcomes

    36% graduation rate 12.3 / 30

    Cost

    $2,208 from IPEDS tuition 24.9 / 25

    Program Depth

    • Both Ratings
    • Associate
    • Avionics

    20 / 20

    Access

    • GI Bill

    5 / 15

    Scale

    16 awards per year 4.8 / 10

15. #10

    Mt. San Antonio College

    Walnut, California

    66.5 of 100

    This program suits California residents who want a public two-year path to an AS degree or certificate in Aircraft Maintenance Technology, at a $2,760 total in-state cost with day or evening class options in Walnut, California.

    Type

    Community College

    Credentials

    AS; Certificate

    Length

    two years

    Cost

    $2,760, total program, in-state (A.S. degree, 60 units)

    Outcomes

    45% graduation rate 21.2 / 30

    Cost

    $2,760 published program cost 23.7 / 25

    Program Depth

    • Associate

    6 / 20

    Access

    • Flexible Schedule
    • Start Dates

    10 / 15

    Scale

    23 awards per year 5.6 / 10

The next ten ranked schools, scored the same way, with the points each earned on every factor. Each name links to the school's profile.

Graduation rate and cost are scored by percentile across every ranked school with that figure: a school earns the share of those schools it beats, with ties counted as half. Program size is log-scaled between the smallest and largest program. Scores are national, so a school carries the same score on its state, city, and national rankings.

Graduation rate has a cap at the top of the scale. Every school at or above the 95th-percentile graduation rate among scored schools earns the full Outcomes points, so one small school that reports a 100% rate does not decide the order of everyone below it. In this edition the cap is 67.2%.

Outcomes, Cost, and Scale are measured factors. When a school has no figure for one, it scores the peer median for that factor: 15 of 30 for Outcomes and 12.5 of 25 for Cost, which are percentile-scored, and the real median Scale score for Scale, which is log-scaled. Score breakdowns label these points "Peer median".

Many private aviation schools do not report to IPEDS, and many colleges price by the credit rather than the program. A city ranking has to be able to rank those schools against each other. The peer median lets a school with a missing figure be ranked without gaining or losing ground for the gap.

Score = Outcomes + Cost + Program Depth + Access + Scale (0 to 100)

Program Depth and Access are computed for every school from what it states on its own pages. An option the school does not state earns 0 points; nothing is assumed.

Cost uses the school's published price when it covers the whole program for both ratings. Otherwise it is IPEDS in-state tuition for one year multiplied by the program length the school publishes, in academic years. Per-credit rates, annual rates, and single-rating prices are never compared with program totals, unless the school also publishes the credit total, in which case the math is shown.

IPEDS in-state tuition leaves out mandatory fees, and some states bill most community college charges as per-credit fees. An IPEDS tuition under $1,000 a year is treated as incomplete: the school is scored on its published cost when it has one, and otherwise has no Cost figure.

Cape Cod Community College, for example, reports $576 in tuition to IPEDS but charges $262 a credit hour in tuition and required fees, so its cost is 70 credits at that rate, $18,340.

Scale counts IPEDS aviation maintenance awards per year, CIP 47.0607 to 47.0609, once per institution. Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Inland Empire Campus reports to IPEDS under another campus of the same school, so its figures are counted there. Mohawk Valley Community College is left off because the school says the program is closing to new students.

The full rules are on our ranking methodology page. The same scores order every state and city ranking.

• School-Reported Pass Rates. Schools publish FAA test pass rates over different periods and test mixes, so the figures are not comparable from one school to the next.
• School-Reported Job Placement Rates. Placement rates are self-reported with different definitions and follow-up windows, so they are not comparable either.
• Sponsorship or Partnership Status. A sponsored listing never changes a score, a rank, or which schools are eligible.
• Reputation Surveys. No survey or opinion input is used. Every input is a published figure.