Stockton at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Stockton
5
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
67.0
Gavilan College
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Stockton Metro
120
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$75,250
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
0.48
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Stockton-Lodi, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 44700).
AeroTurbine, part of StandardAero, runs a jet engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul shop at Stockton Metropolitan Airport, complete with an engine test cell rated for military-class thrust levels. Local aircraft mechanics and service technicians earn a median $75,250 a year, below the $79,870 U.S. median, in a metro where mechanic employment sits well under the national concentration for the job (location quotient 0.48).
Four training options sit within reach. Sacramento City College, 48.3 miles away in McClellan, is one of the oldest aviation maintenance schools in the world and runs a four-semester evening program. Aviation Institute of Maintenance Fremont is 48.4 miles out with day and evening certificate classes. Solano Community College, 49.9 miles away in Vacaville, and College of Alameda, 53.5 miles away, both offer Airframe and Powerplant certificates and degrees.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Stockton
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Stockton, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Stockton
Best Outcomes Near Stockton
Highest overall score of the 5 ranked schools, 67.0 out of 100.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 4 ranked schools that report one: 42%.
Most Affordable Near Stockton
Lowest comparable program cost of the 3 ranked schools with one: $2,208, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
Stockton Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Stockton
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Stockton, 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 Stockton.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Stockton
- Best Outcomes Near Stockton
#1
Gavilan College
San Martin, California 63 miles from Stockton #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
-
#2
Sacramento City College
McClellan, California 48 miles from Stockton #17 nationally
63.8 of 100
This program suits students able to start only in summer and attend evening or Saturday classes, at one of the longest-running aircraft mechanic schools, based at McClellan Hangar near Sacramento, California.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate in Science (A.S.) degree; Certificate of Achievement
- Length
- Four semesters (2 years)
- Cost
- $3,220, total program, California resident (as of Fall 2022)
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Schedule
- Monday to Friday, 3:30pm-9:35pm, and some selected Saturdays
- Starts
- Summer (required entry course AMTP 309 offered only in Summer)
-
- Most Affordable Near Stockton
#3
College of Alameda
Alameda, California 54 miles from Stockton #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
-
#4
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Fremont
Fremont, California 48 miles from Stockton #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
-
#5
Solano Community College
Vacaville, California 50 miles from Stockton #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 | Sacramento City College | 63.8 | 9.1 | 22.3 | 14 | 15 | 3.4 |
| 3 | College of Alameda | 63.7 | 9.1 | 24.9 | 14 | 10 | 5.7 |
| 4 | AIM Fremont | 41.7 | † | † | 0 | 10 | † |
| 5 | 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 Stockton
Aircraft mechanics in the Stockton metro area earn a median of $75,250 a year ($36.18 an hour), $10,850 below the California median of $86,100.
Stockton Pay vs. California and U.S. Medians
The Stockton median is $4,620 below the U.S. median of $79,870.
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 Stockton
BLS counts 120 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Stockton metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.48.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
AeroTurbine (StandardAero)
Jet engine MRO facility at Stockton Metropolitan Airport
AeroTurbine, part of StandardAero, runs a jet engine maintenance, repair and overhaul shop at Stockton Metropolitan Airport with an engine test cell rated for military-class thrust levels.
Source: Fixed Base & Commercial Operations - Fly Stockton (Stockton Metropolitan Airport) (flystockton.com)
Air Cargo
Amazon Air
Chartered air cargo operation based at Stockton Metropolitan Airport
Amazon began daily chartered cargo flights into Stockton Metropolitan Airport in 2016, establishing an air cargo operation at the field.
Source: Stockton Metropolitan Airport - Wikipedia (Wikipedia)
Top Gun Aviation
FAA-certified aircraft maintenance shop at Stockton Metropolitan Airport
Top Gun Aviation is an FAA-certified Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) and Inspection Authorization (IA) repair shop at Stockton Metropolitan Airport specializing in inspections, engine and airframe repairs, and modifications.
Source: Top Gun Aviation, Inc. (topgunaviation.net)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Stockton Metro (SCK) recorded 63,668 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton Metro | SCK | Nonhub | 63,668 | 225,291,000 |
Local Context
A Jet Engine MRO at Stockton Metro
AeroTurbine, part of StandardAero, operates a jet engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul shop at Stockton Metropolitan Airport, built around an engine test cell rated for military-class thrust levels. The same airport also hosts Amazon Air's chartered cargo flights and Top Gun Aviation, an FAA-certified Airframe and Powerplant repair shop handling inspections, engine work, and airframe repairs for general aviation aircraft.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Stockton: Common Questions
What Schools Near Stockton Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Stockton?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Stockton?
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)
- Commercial Service Airports, CY2024 Enplanements
- Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- AeroTurbine (StandardAero): Fixed Base & Commercial Operations - Fly Stockton (Stockton Metropolitan Airport)
- Amazon Air: Stockton Metropolitan Airport - Wikipedia
- Top Gun Aviation: Top Gun Aviation, Inc.
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.