San Francisco-Oakland at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near San Francisco-Oakland
4
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
67.0
Gavilan College
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, San Francisco-Oakland Metro
940
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$93,400
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
0.45
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 41860).
United Airlines runs a full aircraft maintenance base at San Francisco International, staffing the Superbay Hangar around the clock with mechanics who inspect and rebuild aircraft. SFO moved 25,078,968 passengers in 2024, and Oakland's airport landed 3,207,986,310 pounds of cargo. Local mechanics earn a median $93,400 a year, above the $79,870 U.S. median.
Four training options sit within reach. College of Alameda, 43.1 miles away in Alameda, offers Airframe and Powerplant degrees and certificates on an evening schedule. Aviation Institute of Maintenance Fremont, 63.4 miles out, runs day and evening certificate classes in its hangar facility. Solano Community College, 72.5 miles away in Vacaville, and Gavilan College, 89.8 miles away in San Martin, offer FAA Part 147 certificate and degree paths.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near San Francisco-Oakland
Among the aviation maintenance schools near San Francisco-Oakland, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near San Francisco-Oakland
Best Outcomes Near San Francisco-Oakland
Highest overall score of the 4 ranked schools, 67.0 out of 100.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 3 ranked schools that report one: 42%.
Most Affordable Near San Francisco-Oakland
Lowest comparable program cost of the 2 ranked schools with one: $2,208, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
San Francisco-Oakland Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near San Francisco-Oakland
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of San Francisco-Oakland, ordered by score. 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 San Francisco-Oakland.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near San Francisco-Oakland
- Best Outcomes Near San Francisco-Oakland
#1
Gavilan College
San Martin, California 90 miles from San Francisco-Oakland #8 nationally
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
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Starts
- fall semester; spring semester
-
- Most Affordable Near San Francisco-Oakland
#2
College of Alameda
Alameda, California 43 miles from San Francisco-Oakland #19 nationally
63.7 of 100
College of Alameda suits someone who can commit to two years of evening classes, five days a week, and who can wait, since the school has paused new Aviation Maintenance Technology applications for the next two years.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Science (AS) in Airframe; Associate of Science (AS) in Powerplant; plus 2 more
- Length
- Two years full-time, or part-time option, delivered in 18-week blocks
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Schedule
- Evening, five days a week from 3:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (holidays excluded)
- Admissions
- The school notes it is not accepting new applications for the next two years due to demand
-
#3
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Fremont
Fremont, California 63 miles from San Francisco-Oakland #126 nationally
41.7 of 100
Bay Area students drawn to aerospace and airline employers like United Airlines, Archer Aviation, and NASA, and who want transit access via BART or ACE trains, are the best fit for the Fremont campus.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Certificate
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Schedule
- day/evening classes
-
#4
Solano Community College
Vacaville, California 73 miles from San Francisco-Oakland #141 nationally
40.4 of 100
Solano Community College fits students who want flexibility between a single-rating certificate, a single-rating degree, or a combined airframe-and-powerplant path, all taught at a hangar facility at Nut Tree Airport.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Certificate of Achievement (Airframe or Powerplant), 41 units; Associate in Science Degree (Airframe or Powerplant), 41-unit major plus GE to 60+ units; plus 2 more
- Length
- 41-unit major (single rating) or 62-unit combined major (Airframe & Powerplant)
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gavilan College | 67.0 | 18.2 | 23.2 | 14 | 10 | 1.6 |
| 2 | College of Alameda | 63.7 | 9.1 | 24.9 | 14 | 10 | 5.7 |
| 3 | AIM Fremont | 41.7 | † | † | 0 | 10 | † |
| 4 | Solano Community College | 40.4 | 12.3 | † | 14 | 0 | 1.6 |
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in California ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in San Francisco-Oakland
Aircraft mechanics in the San Francisco-Oakland metro area earn a median of $93,400 a year ($44.90 an hour), $7,300 above the California median of $86,100.
San Francisco-Oakland Pay vs. California and U.S. Medians
The San Francisco-Oakland median is $13,530 above the U.S. median of $79,870.
Avionics Technician Pay in San Francisco-Oakland
BLS counts 80 avionics technicians in the San Francisco-Oakland metro area, with a median of $129,320 a year.
Compare metro areas across the state on the California aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in San Francisco-Oakland
BLS counts 940 aircraft mechanic jobs in the San Francisco-Oakland metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.45.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Airline Maintenance
United Airlines (United Technical Operations)
Aircraft maintenance base at San Francisco International Airport
United Airlines runs its principal technical operations maintenance base at SFO in a sprawling array of hangars, employing more than 2,000 people who inspect and upgrade aircraft around the clock.
More than 2,000 employees at the SFO maintenance facility
Source: A Rare Tour of United's San Francisco Aircraft Maintenance Base With 'Chix Fix' All-Female Mechanics Team (nbcbayarea.com)
Airline Maintenance
SFO Superbay Hangar (American Airlines and United Airlines)
Superbay maintenance hangar at San Francisco International Airport
The Superbay Hangar at SFO is one of four hangars in the US that can fully house four Boeing 747-sized airplanes and is shared by American Airlines and United Airlines for maintenance and safety inspections.
Source: Building A Legacy: SFO Superbay Hangar - Weitz (weitz.com)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
San Francisco International (SFO) recorded 25,078,968 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco International | SFO | Large hub | 25,078,968 | 1,153,152,650 |
| Oakland San Francisco Bay | OAK | Medium hub | 5,292,736 | 3,207,986,310 |
Local Context
The United Maintenance Base at SFO
United Airlines' technical operations base sits inside the Superbay Hangar at San Francisco International, one of the few hangars in the country built to fully house four jumbo jets at once, shared with American Airlines for maintenance and safety inspections. SFO connects that base to a large-hub airport that moved 25,078,968 passengers in 2024 and stays a steady source of hangar work on the West Coast.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near San Francisco-Oakland: Common Questions
What Schools Near San Francisco-Oakland Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in San Francisco-Oakland?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in San Francisco-Oakland?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work?
Do Hours Working 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)
- Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025: Avionics Technicians (49-2091)
- Commercial Service Airports, CY2024 Enplanements
- Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- United Airlines (United Technical Operations): A Rare Tour of United's San Francisco Aircraft Maintenance Base With 'Chix Fix' All-Female Mechanics Team
- SFO Superbay Hangar (American Airlines and United Airlines): Building A Legacy: SFO Superbay Hangar - Weitz
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.