Orlando at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Orlando
8
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
44.7
A&P Mechanic Institute
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Orlando Metro
2,380
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$92,430
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
1.90
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 36740).
United Airlines is building a new maintenance campus with two hangars at Orlando International Airport to service narrow-body and wide-body aircraft. Orlando International handled 27,859,783 enplanements in 2024 and moved 1,098,693,217 pounds of cargo, and the metro's aircraft mechanic location quotient of 1.9 shows nearly double the national concentration of that work. Mechanics here earn a median $92,430.
Several schools sit within an hour's drive. US Aviation Academy in Kissimmee is 14 miles from Orlando and runs an aviation maintenance program with tools supplied. Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Casselberry is 14.5 miles away, and Eastern Florida State College in Titusville, 32 miles out, trains at Melbourne International Airport.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Orlando
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Orlando, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Orlando
Highest overall score of the 7 ranked schools, 44.7 out of 100.
Most Affordable Near Orlando
Lowest comparable program cost of the 3 ranked schools with one: $19,000, published by the school.
Orlando Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Orlando
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Orlando, 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 Orlando.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Orlando
#1
A&P Mechanic Institute
Lakeland, Florida 53 miles from Orlando #105 nationally
44.7 of 100
This program suits students who want a single private campus offering combined airframe and powerplant ratings on a 15-month day or night schedule in Lakeland, Florida.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Certification
- Length
- 15 months
- Schedule
- day and night classes
-
- Most Affordable Near Orlando
#2
Eastern Florida State College
Titusville, Florida 32 miles from Orlando #115 nationally
43.2 of 100
This program fits Florida residents who want a two-year combined airframe and powerplant certificate path at Melbourne International Airport, with GI Bill eligibility for veterans.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Career and Technical Certificate (two certificates, combined A&P)
- Length
- two years (2,250 total clock hours for both certificates)
- Cost
- $19,000, total program, Florida residents, both certificates combined
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Starts
- Spring 2026 (January Start); Fall 2026 (August Start)
-
#3
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Orlando
Casselberry, Florida 15 miles from Orlando #130 nationally
41.7 of 100
This certificate program fits someone in the Orlando area who wants hands-on day or evening training in a dedicated hangar rather than a two-year degree.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Certificate
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Schedule
- day and evening
-
#4
National Aviation Academy, Tampa Bay Campus
Clearwater, Florida 94 miles from Orlando #150 nationally
39.7 of 100
This program suits students in the Tampa Bay area who want a 14-month, private-school path to FAA Airframe and Powerplant certification, training in an on-campus hangar at National Aviation Academy's Clearwater, Florida location.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Certificate
- Length
- 14 months (2,000 clock hours)
-
#5
Epic Flight Academy
New Smyrna Beach, Florida 46 miles from Orlando #162 nationally
38.4 of 100
This program fits students who want a fast, hands-on path to an FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificate in 15 months, with GI Bill funding available at its Florida campus.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) Certificate
- Length
- 15 months
- Cost
- $36,995, total program
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Starts
- September 28, 2026 (Erlanger, KY)
-
#6
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Daytona Beach, Florida 53 miles from Orlando #165 nationally
37.7 of 100
This program fits students who want a four-year bachelor's degree that pairs aviation maintenance science with an optional avionics minor, at a Daytona Beach campus dedicated to aviation.
- Type
- University
- Credentials
- BS in Aviation Maintenance Science
- Length
- 126 credits
- Avionics
- Avionics Line Maintenance minor
-
#7
US Aviation Academy Kissimmee
Kissimmee, Florida 14 miles from Orlando #201 nationally
29.1 of 100
This fits students who want a fast 16-month aircraft mechanic program with tools provided at a newly opened Florida campus near Orlando.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Certification
- Length
- 16-month program
- Cost
- $36,000, total program
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A&P Mechanic Institute | 44.7 | † | † | 8 | 5 | † |
| 2 | Eastern Florida State College | 43.2 | † | 6 | 8 | 10 | † |
| 3 | AIM Orlando | 41.7 | † | † | 0 | 10 | † |
| 4 | NAA Tampa Bay | 39.7 | † | † | 8 | 0 | † |
| 5 | Epic Flight Academy | 38.4 | † | 1.2 | 8 | 10 | † |
| 6 | Embry-Riddle | 37.7 | † | † | 6 | 0 | † |
| 7 | USAA Kissimmee | 29.1 | † | 1.9 | 8 | 0 | † |
High School Pathways
High School Aviation Maintenance Programs Near Orlando
This FAA-approved program is run by a high school or career center, so it is listed apart from the college ranking, nearest first.
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in Florida ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Orlando
Aircraft mechanics in the Orlando metro area earn a median of $92,430 a year ($44.44 an hour), $15,490 above the Florida median of $76,940.
Orlando Pay vs. Florida and U.S. Medians
The Orlando median is $12,560 above the U.S. median of $79,870.
Avionics Technician Pay in Orlando
BLS counts 290 avionics technicians in the Orlando metro area, with a median of $84,830 a year.
Compare metro areas across the state on the Florida aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Orlando
BLS counts 2,380 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Orlando metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 1.90.
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
Technical Operations maintenance campus at Orlando International Airport (MCO)
United Airlines is building a 354,400 square foot maintenance campus with two hangars at Orlando International Airport where more than 1,000 Tech Ops employees will service narrow-body and wide-body aircraft.
United's Orlando Tech Ops workforce of more than 1,000 people
Source: United Airlines Breaks Ground on State-Of-The-Art Maintenance Complex at Orlando International Airport (flymco.com)
Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
Avocet Aviation Services
Headquarters and MRO hangar at Orlando-Sanford International Airport
Avocet Aviation Services runs a 55,000 square foot hangar at Orlando-Sanford International Airport supporting heavy maintenance, passenger-to-freighter conversions, engine services and teardown programs.
55,000 square-foot hangar
Source: Avocet Aero (avocet.aero)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Orlando International (MCO) recorded 27,859,783 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando International | MCO | Large hub | 27,859,783 | 1,098,693,217 |
| Orlando Sanford International | SFB | Small hub | 1,412,954 |
Local Context
United Airlines' New Maintenance Campus at MCO
United Airlines broke ground on a new maintenance campus with two hangars at Orlando International Airport, built to service both narrow-body and wide-body aircraft. The work spans airframe inspection, powerplant maintenance and line service for one of the country's larger airline fleets.
That build puts Orlando in a small group of metros gaining a purpose-built airline maintenance base rather than inheriting an older facility. Students training locally now are positioned for a hangar that is still under construction.
An Independent MRO at Orlando-Sanford
Avocet Aviation Services runs its headquarters and an MRO hangar at Orlando-Sanford International Airport. The shop handles heavy maintenance, passenger-to-freighter conversions, engine services and teardown programs, work distinct from the airline-specific maintenance United is building at MCO.
Having both a major airline maintenance campus and an independent MRO in the same metro gives Orlando mechanics two different kinds of employer to train toward, from scheduled airline upkeep to conversion and teardown projects.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Orlando: Common Questions
What Schools Near Orlando Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Orlando?
What Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Orlando?
How Far Is Aviation Maintenance Training From the Orlando Job Market?
Do Hours at an Orlando Aviation 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
- United Airlines: United Airlines Breaks Ground on State-Of-The-Art Maintenance Complex at Orlando International Airport
- Avocet Aviation Services: Avocet Aero
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.