Tampa-St. Petersburg at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Tampa-St. Petersburg
6
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
44.7
A&P Mechanic Institute
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Tampa-St. Petersburg Metro
1,050
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$71,510
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
0.82
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 45300).
Tampa International Airport is a large-hub facility that moved 12,075,591 passengers in 2024 and landed 559,706,960 pounds of cargo the same year. That freight volume is backed by an independent MRO on airport property: Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services runs a two-hangar complex there for component repair, engineering, and aircraft modification work.
National Aviation Academy's Tampa Bay campus is 15.9 miles away in Clearwater, with an on-campus hangar for Aviation Maintenance Technology coursework. Central Florida Aerospace Academy, 27.1 miles out in Lakeland, trains high schoolers on Part 147 airframe and powerplant coursework at Sun 'N Fun's Aerospace Center for Excellence. A&P Mechanic Institute, also in Lakeland at 28.6 miles, trains in a fully equipped hangar with real aircraft.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Tampa-St. Petersburg
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Tampa-St. Petersburg, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Tampa-St. Petersburg
Highest overall score of the 5 ranked schools, 44.7 out of 100.
Tampa-St. Petersburg Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Tampa-St. Petersburg
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Tampa-St. Petersburg, 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Tampa-St. Petersburg
#1
A&P Mechanic Institute
Lakeland, Florida 29 miles from Tampa-St. Petersburg #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
-
#2
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Orlando
Casselberry, Florida 85 miles from Tampa-St. Petersburg #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
-
#3
National Aviation Academy, Tampa Bay Campus
Clearwater, Florida 16 miles from Tampa-St. Petersburg #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)
-
#4
Charlotte Technical College
Port Charlotte, Florida 69 miles from Tampa-St. Petersburg #171 nationally
36.7 of 100
This program fits students who want the airframe rating as a standalone credential first, with the powerplant rating available separately at the same Port Charlotte campus.
- Type
- Technical College
- Credentials
- Aviation Maintenance General Technician (OCP A); Aviation Maintenance Airframe Technician 1 (OCP B); plus 1 more
- Length
- 1,350 hours
- Starts
- Next start date: February 10, 2027 (registration deadline February 2, 2027)
-
#5
US Aviation Academy Kissimmee
Kissimmee, Florida 67 miles from Tampa-St. Petersburg #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 | AIM Orlando | 41.7 | † | † | 0 | 10 | † |
| 3 | NAA Tampa Bay | 39.7 | † | † | 8 | 0 | † |
| 4 | Charlotte Technical College | 36.7 | † | † | 0 | 5 | † |
| 5 | USAA Kissimmee | 29.1 | † | 1.9 | 8 | 0 | † |
High School Pathways
High School Aviation Maintenance Programs Near Tampa-St. Petersburg
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 Tampa-St. Petersburg
Aircraft mechanics in the Tampa-St. Petersburg metro area earn a median of $71,510 a year ($34.38 an hour), $5,430 below the Florida median of $76,940.
Tampa-St. Petersburg Pay vs. Florida and U.S. Medians
The Tampa-St. Petersburg median is $8,360 below the U.S. median of $79,870.
Avionics Technician Pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg
BLS counts avionics technicians in the Tampa-St. Petersburg metro area, with a median of $74,850 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg
BLS counts 1,050 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Tampa-St. Petersburg metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.82.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services
Two-hangar MRO complex at Tampa International Airport
Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services operates a two-hangar, 320,000 square foot MRO facility at Tampa International Airport offering component repair, engineering and aircraft modification services, and its Tampa headquarters also houses PEMCO Conversions.
320,000 sq. ft. two-hangar facility
Source: About | Airborne MX (airbornemx.com)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Tampa International (TPA) recorded 12,075,591 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa International | TPA | Large hub | 12,075,591 | 559,706,960 |
| St Pete-Clearwater International | PIE | Small hub | 1,228,048 |
Local Context
An Independent MRO Anchors Tampa International
Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services operates a two-hangar MRO facility right at Tampa International Airport. The complex covers component repair, engineering work, and aircraft modification, and its Tampa headquarters also houses PEMCO Conversions. For mechanics based in the metro, that's heavy maintenance work without leaving the airport.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Tampa-St. Petersburg: Common Questions
What Schools Near Tampa-St. Petersburg Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Tampa?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work in Tampa?
Does Experience at a Tampa 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
- Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services: About | Airborne MX
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.