Best Helicopter Mechanic Schools of 2026: Aircraft Mechanic Schools With Rotorcraft Training, Ranked

The Best Helicopter Mechanic Schools in 2026

The best helicopter mechanic schools are Kansas State University Salina (72.2), Southern Utah University (70.1), and Orange Coast College (69.4). All three are FAA-approved (Part 147) aircraft mechanic schools with helicopter work in the program.

K-State Salina leads on a 71% graduation rate and 15 aviation maintenance awards a year, plus both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings, an associate degree option, and an avionics option. Southern Utah University scores on a 61% graduation rate and about $9,279 in program tuition, plus both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings, an associate degree option, and an avionics option.

Orange Coast College scores on a 48% graduation rate and 11 aviation maintenance awards a year, plus both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings, an associate degree option, and an avionics option. In its own words: Earn a certificate or associate degree in Airframe, Powerplant, Avionics and/or Helicopter Theory and Maintenance.

A school is one of the helicopter mechanic schools here when its own pages say students train on helicopters or rotorcraft: a rotorcraft course, helicopters in the training fleet, or a helicopter track. A helicopter job listed only as a career outcome does not count. Each card quotes the school.

Each card shows the national score out of 100, the factor bars behind it, and what the school says about helicopter training, linked to the page.

Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)

1. #1

   Kansas State University Salina

   Salina, Kansas · #4 nationally

   72.2 of 100

   This public university program fits students who want both an associate and a bachelor's degree route to eligibility for the FAA mechanic certificate, with in-state tuition near $10,243 and hands-on hangar training in Salina, Kansas.

   Type

   University

   Credentials

   Associate degree and Bachelor's degree, with FAA A&P certification eligibility

   GI Bill

   Approved

   Avionics

   Avionics electronics technology certificate (NCATT certified)
   • Helicopter Training: You'll work hands-on with more than 10 actual aircraft, from a Bell 206 helicopter to a cabin-class, turbine-powered King Air 90.

2. #2

   Southern Utah University

   Cedar City, Utah · #6 nationally

   70.1 of 100

   This program fits students who want an associate degree with both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings, an avionics option, and GI Bill eligibility in Cedar City, Utah.

   Type

   University

   Credentials

   Associate's Degree with Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certifications

   Length

   about 18 months / five consecutive semesters

   GI Bill

   Approved

   Avionics

   Avionics certificate alongside the AMT program
   • Helicopter Training: SUU is one of the only, if not the only, schools to offer helicopter maintenance as part of the standard curriculum at no additional cost.

3. #3

   Orange Coast College

   Costa Mesa, California · #7 nationally

   69.4 of 100

   This program fits a working adult in Orange County who needs evening, weekend, or online scheduling and wants airframe, powerplant, avionics, and helicopter maintenance training under one roof.

   Type

   Community College

   Credentials

   Certificate of Specialization; Certificate of Achievement; plus 1 more

   Length

   Certificate of Achievement: less than 2 years; Associate Degree: under 4 years

   Cost

   $46, per unit, in-state (CA resident)

   GI Bill

   Approved

   Schedule

   Evening, Weekend, and Online Courses

   Avionics

   Avionics track
   • Helicopter Training: Earn a certificate or associate degree in Airframe, Powerplant, Avionics and/or Helicopter Theory and Maintenance.

4. #4

   Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, Pittsburgh Campus

   West Mifflin, Pennsylvania · #12 nationally

   65.9 of 100

   This program suits students who want an accredited two-year degree with avionics electives and a 76% graduation rate at a private campus at Allegheny County Airport near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

   Type

   Private Aviation School

   Credentials

   Associate in Specialized Technology Degree

   Length

   20 Months

   Cost

   $44,250, total program for students starting after July 1, 2026 (5 semesters, 77 credits)

   GI Bill

   Approved

   Avionics

   Avionics electives
   • Helicopter Training: Rotorcraft Systems & Maintenance course (AG383/NG383): This course is offered to our second year Aviation Maintenance students and current industry A&P Technicians.

5. #5

   SOWELA Technical Community College

   Lake Charles, Louisiana · #52 nationally

   53.0 of 100

   This program fits students who want both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings with a choice of credential length, from a shorter certificate up to a two-year associate degree, in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

   Type

   Community College

   Credentials

   Associate of Applied Science (AAS); Technical Diploma; plus 1 more

   Length

   AAS: 81 semester credits / 1,680 clock hours

   Cost

   $10,848.33, total program, AAS

   GI Bill

   Approved
   • Helicopter Training: Over the years SOWELA has acquired a Boeing 727 aircraft, 7 lite aircraft, 3 helicopters

6. #6

   Northland Community and Technical College

   Thief River Falls, Minnesota · #56 nationally

   52.3 of 100

   This program suits a student in northern Minnesota who wants an A.A.S. or diploma in aviation maintenance and would rather train close to home, since the nearest other Part 147 school sits 88.5 miles from Thief River Falls.

   Type

   Community College

   Credentials

   A.A.S.; Diploma

   Length

   94 credit hours

   GI Bill

   Approved
   • Helicopter Training: Work on a diverse fleet of 20+ aircraft, including commercial jets, corporate planes, turboprops, helicopters, and general aviation models.

7. #7

   Aims Community College

   Loveland, Colorado · #69 nationally

   50.4 of 100

   This program fits students who want a two-year Aircraft Maintenance Technician degree or certificate near Denver, with a direct hiring pathway into Frontier Airlines.

   Type

   Community College

   Credentials

   AAS; Certificate

   Length

   six semesters, over two years

   Cost

   $10,050, total program tuition, in-district (70 credits)

   Starts

   Spring 2027 cohort applications open, deadline November 20
   • Helicopter Training: Training covers helicopters of all sizes, including. Rotorcraft and sUAS Aircraft

8. #8

   Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville

   Nashville, Tennessee · #76 nationally

   49.3 of 100

   This 18-month, full-time diploma suits Nashville-area students aiming for both airframe and powerplant certification eligibility.

   Type

   Technical College

   Credentials

   Diploma

   Length

   18 months (1,944 clock hours)

   Cost

   $7,705, total program (tuition/fees)

   GI Bill

   Approved
   • Helicopter Training: A course in the program. AVT 2011 Rotorcraft Fundamentals

9. #9

   Big Bend Community College

   Moses Lake, Washington · #82 nationally

   48.2 of 100

   This associate degree program fits someone in eastern Washington who wants two years of hands-on airframe and powerplant training, since the nearest alternative Part 147 school is 99.8 miles away.

   Type

   Community College

   Credentials

   Associate of Applied Science (AAS)

   Length

   Two academic years of instruction

   Cost

   $13,685.92, total program, 2 years, Washington resident

   GI Bill

   Approved
   • Helicopter Training: instruction on a variety of airframes and powerplants, including light general aviation aircraft, twin-engine turboprops, helicopters, experimental aircraft, and more

10. #10

    Southern Illinois University Carbondale

    Murphysboro, Illinois · #101 nationally

    45.7 of 100

    This program fits students who want a four-year bachelor's degree paired with the FAA mechanic certificate, plus the option to add avionics or helicopter maintenance training, in Murphysboro, Illinois.

    Type

    University

    Credentials

    Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technologies; FAA Airframe and/or Powerplant Certificate

    Length

    five-semester Airframe and/or Powerplant Maintenance Certificate program

    Avionics

    Aviation Electronics (Avionics) specialization
    • Helicopter Training: SIU is the only school in the nation that offers Bell Helicopter-approved training as part of the helicopter maintenance specialization.

Helicopter mechanic schools are ordered by the national score used for every ranking on the site: outcomes 30, cost 25, program depth 20, access 15, scale 10. Helicopter training itself adds no points, so two schools with the same rotorcraft content rank by outcomes, cost, and the rest.

The full rules are on our ranking methodology page.