Hartford at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Hartford
13
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
51.3
Nashua Community College
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Hartford Metro
600
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$87,730
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
1.13
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 25540).
Pratt & Whitney runs its headquarters and one of its main engine testing and manufacturing campuses in East Hartford, building military and commercial jet engines. Barnes Aerospace adds aircraft and engine component manufacturing and repair nearby in Windsor and East Granby. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians here earn a median $87,730 a year, well above the $79,870 U.S. median.
Training starts close to home. Connecticut Aero Tech School, based at Brainard Airport, is 2.5 miles from downtown Hartford and runs a two-year Airframe and Powerplant program. Westfield Technical Academy in Massachusetts is 25.2 miles away with a public high school AMT program. Stratford School for Aviation Maintenance Technicians, at Sikorsky Memorial Airport, is 47.2 miles out.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Hartford
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Hartford, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Hartford
Highest overall score of the 8 ranked schools, 51.3 out of 100.
Most Affordable Near Hartford
Lowest comparable program cost of the 2 ranked schools with one: $10,000, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
Best Outcomes Near Hartford
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 3 ranked schools that report one: 39%.
Hartford Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Hartford
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Hartford, ordered by score. High school programs within 100 miles follow the ranking. 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 Hartford.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Hartford
#1
Nashua Community College
Nashua, New Hampshire 92 miles from Hartford #60 nationally
51.3 of 100
This program suits students in New Hampshire and nearby New England who want the region's only FAA Part 147 school, offering a public 21-month associate degree or a five-semester certificate covering both airframe and powerplant ratings.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Science in Aviation Technology; Aviation Technology Certificate
- Length
- 21-month curriculum includes one summer session (AS degree)
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Schedule
- day (AS degree); day or evening (certificate, Tuesday-Thursday evenings and every other Saturday)
-
- Best Outcomes Near Hartford
#2
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
Flushing, New York 93 miles from Hartford #68 nationally
50.5 of 100
This fits students who want a fast certificate at a private aeronautics college with airline hiring connections in the New York City area.
- Type
- University
- Credentials
- Certificate
- Length
- can be completed in as little as 16 months
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#3
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Hasbrouck Heights
Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey 96 miles from Hartford #90 nationally
46.7 of 100
This program fits New Jersey students who need the state's only FAA-approved Part 147 school, minutes from Teterboro Airport, on a 21-month certificate schedule.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Certificate
- Length
- 21 months for full-time students
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Schedule
- day and evening classes available
- Starts
- September class start referenced (application fee waiver promotion for 9/27)
-
#4
National Aviation Academy, New England Campus
Concord, Massachusetts 82 miles from Hartford #98 nationally
45.7 of 100
This program suits students in the Boston area who want a 14-month path to FAA Airframe and Powerplant certification, with a shorter optional Advanced Aircraft Systems avionics add-on at National Aviation Academy's New England campus.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification
- Length
- AMT: 14 months, 3000 clock hours (implied by 45 FAA-mandated subjects)
- Avionics
- Advanced Aircraft Systems program (avionics equipment)
-
#5
Connecticut Aero Tech School
Hartford, Connecticut 3 miles from Hartford #106 nationally
44.7 of 100
Connecticut Aero Tech School fits day-schedule students working toward becoming an aircraft mechanic over two years at an extension campus based at Brainard Airport.
- Type
- Technical College
- Credentials
- Certificate (Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic, upon passing FAA exams)
- Length
- 2 years
- Starts
- December 2026 enrollment class applications open
-
#6
Stratford School for Aviation Maintenance Technicians
Stratford, Connecticut 47 miles from Hartford #109 nationally
44.7 of 100
This program fits Connecticut students who want a two-year airframe-and-powerplant certificate through a public extension campus based at Sikorsky Memorial Airport.
- Type
- Technical College
- Credentials
- Certificate (Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic, upon passing FAA exams)
- Length
- 2 years
- Starts
- December 2026 enrollment class applications open
-
#7
Hudson Valley Community College
Albany, New York 86 miles from Hartford #173 nationally
36.7 of 100
This program fits students near Albany, New York who want a 12-month Aviation Maintenance Technician certification, trained on Air Force jet aircraft donated to the school.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- FAA Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Certification
- Length
- 12-month program with extensive hands-on instruction and training
- Starts
- Monday, Jan. 11 (January 2027 cohort); Monday, June 28 (June 2027 cohort)
-
- Most Affordable Near Hartford
#8
Dutchess Community College
Wappingers Falls, New York 63 miles from Hartford #180 nationally
35.3 of 100
This program fits students in the Hudson Valley who want a four-semester associate degree covering both airframe and powerplant ratings at a public community college price.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
- Length
- 64 total credit hours across four semesters
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nashua Community College | 51.3 | 14.1 | 10.4 | 14 | 10 | 2.8 |
| 2 | Vaughn College | 50.5 | 15 | † | 8 | 5 | 10 |
| 3 | AIM Hasbrouck Heights | 46.7 | † | † | 0 | 15 | † |
| 4 | NAA New England | 45.7 | † | † | 14 | 0 | † |
| 5 | CT Aero Tech | 44.7 | † | † | 8 | 5 | † |
| 6 | Stratford School for Aviation Maintenance Technicians | 44.7 | † | † | 8 | 5 | † |
| 7 | Hudson Valley Community College | 36.7 | † | † | 0 | 5 | † |
| 8 | SUNY Dutchess | 35.3 | 5.2 | 12.5 | 14 | 0 | 3.6 |
High School Pathways
High School Aviation Maintenance Programs Near Hartford
These 5 FAA-approved programs are run by a high school or career center, so they are listed apart from the college ranking, nearest first.
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in Connecticut ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Hartford
Aircraft mechanics in the Hartford metro area earn a median of $87,730 a year ($42.18 an hour), $9,100 below the Connecticut median of $96,830.
Hartford Pay vs. Connecticut and U.S. Medians
The Hartford median is $7,860 above the U.S. median of $79,870.
Compare metro areas across the state on the Connecticut aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Hartford
BLS counts 600 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Hartford metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 1.13.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Manufacturer
Pratt & Whitney
Headquarters, engine testing, and manufacturing campus in East Hartford, CT
Pratt & Whitney's headquarters and one of its principal engine testing and manufacturing sites is a nearly 1,000-acre campus in East Hartford, where it builds military and commercial jet engines.
A site that covers nearly 1,000 acres
Source: Pratt and Whitney East Hartford Plant, Connecticut - Center for Land Use Interpretation (clui.org)
Manufacturer
Barnes Aerospace
Headquarters in Windsor and OEM and MRO facilities in East Granby, CT
Barnes Aerospace is headquartered in Windsor, Connecticut, and runs OEM manufacturing and MRO facilities in East Granby, making and repairing precision aircraft and engine components.
Source: Barnes Aerospace | Who We Are (barnesaero.com)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Bradley International (BDL) recorded 3,285,194 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley International | BDL | Medium hub | 3,285,194 | 1,038,497,680 |
Local Context
An Engine Maker Anchors the Local Job Market
Pratt & Whitney's East Hartford campus is both its headquarters and one of its main engine testing and manufacturing sites, producing military and commercial jet engines. Barnes Aerospace makes and repairs precision aircraft and engine components nearby in Windsor and East Granby for the same industry.
A Cargo Hub North of the City
Bradley International Airport, a medium-hub facility, landed 1,038,497,680 pounds of cargo in 2024 alongside 3,285,194 passenger enplanements, giving the metro a steady flow of freight and passenger aircraft that need maintenance.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Hartford: Common Questions
What Schools Near Hartford Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Hartford?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Hartford?
How Far Is Aviation Maintenance Training From Hartford?
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)
- Pratt & Whitney: Pratt and Whitney East Hartford Plant, Connecticut - Center for Land Use Interpretation
- Barnes Aerospace: Barnes Aerospace | Who We Are
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.