Key Figures for Aviation Maintenance Schools in Illinois
Aviation Maintenance Schools in Illinois
6
FAA AV-Info, Sep 2026
Ranked in This State
6
Methodology 2.1
Top Score in the State
61.1
Lewis University
Median Aircraft Mechanic Pay
$81,680
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Aircraft Mechanics Employed
3,370
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Illinois's aircraft mechanic job growth is projected at 5.4% through 2034, above the national rate of 4%, in a state where median pay, $81,680, already edges past the $79,870 national figure.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, in Murphysboro, and Lewis University in Romeoville both offer a Bachelor of Science alongside a standalone Airframe and Powerplant certificate, an unusual pairing among Illinois's 6 schools. Southwestern Illinois College in Granite City runs an intensive 50-week track or a standard two-year option, and Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield combines certificates into a full Airframe and Powerplant sequence in about 18 months.
Aircraft mechanics in Illinois earn a median of $81,680 a year, above the $79,870 national median, and the state ranks 19th among 50 states for that pay. Growth is projected at 5.4% through 2034, adding 200 positions, with about 310 openings expected each year.
Top Picks
Top Picks in Illinois
Among the aviation maintenance schools in Illinois, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties and one-school lists produce none.
Top Pick in Illinois
Best Outcomes in Illinois
Highest overall score of the 6 ranked schools, 61.1 out of 100.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 4 ranked schools that report one: 67%.
Most Affordable in Illinois
Lincoln Land Community College
Lowest comparable program cost of the 3 ranked schools with one: $10,080, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
Illinois Ranking
Top-Ranked Aircraft Mechanic Schools in Illinois
The 6 ranked aviation maintenance schools in Illinois, best score first. Each card shows the school's verified facts and the points it earned on each factor. Scores are national, out of 100, so a school scores the same here as on the national ranking.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick in Illinois
- Best Outcomes in Illinois
#1
Lewis University
Romeoville, Illinois #28 nationally
61.1 of 100
This program fits working adults in the Chicago area who want a four-year bachelor's degree with night labs and an AABI-accredited curriculum in airframe and powerplant maintenance.
- Type
- University
- Credentials
- Bachelor of Science; Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Maintenance Certificate courses
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
- Most Affordable in Illinois
#2
Lincoln Land Community College
Springfield, Illinois #40 nationally
55.9 of 100
This program fits central Illinois students who want the region's only aviation maintenance program, training toward airframe and powerplant certificates or an associate degree at Lincoln Land's Capital Airport campus.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Certificate of Achievement (Airframe Technician); Certificate of Achievement (Powerplant Technician); plus 2 more
- Length
- certificates require approximately 10 months
- Cost
- $293, per credit hour, in-district, 2026-2027
- Starts
- Fall 2026 cohort begins August 11, 2026; Spring 2027 cohort starts January 5, 2027
-
#3
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Chicago
Chicago, Illinois #71 nationally
49.7 of 100
Students who want a large-scale campus near two major airports, with airline employer partnerships and a combined airframe and powerplant certificate, are the best fit for this program.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- FAA-certified Aircraft Maintenance Technician Certificate
- Schedule
- day and evening classes
- Starts
- September class start referenced (apply-by-9/27 fee waiver)
-
#4
Rock Valley College
Rockford, Illinois #79 nationally
48.6 of 100
This program suits students who want hands-on training on a full-size regional jet and a tuition-reimbursement pathway through AAR EAGLE, in a two-year Aviation Maintenance Technology program in Rockford, Illinois.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate in Applied Science; Aviation Maintenance Certificate (7201); plus 2 more
- Length
- two-year program, with 11 months of instruction in each year
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#5
Southwestern Illinois College
Granite City, Illinois #85 nationally
47.3 of 100
This program fits students who want both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings plus an avionics certificate, with a choice between an intensive full-time schedule and a slower part-time one, near St. Louis.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate Degree in Aviation Maintenance, Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) Certificate, Airframe Certificate, Powerplant Certificate, Aviation Electronics (Avionics) Certificate (017E)
- Length
- 50 weeks (intensive, 8 hours daily) or two years (standard, 4 hours daily) for A&P certification
- Avionics
- Aviation Electronics (Avionics) certificate
-
#6
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
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis University | 61.1 | 28.5 | † | 8 | 10 | 2.1 |
| 2 | Lincoln Land Community College | 55.9 | 22.9 | 11.9 | 14 | 5 | 2.1 |
| 3 | AIM Chicago | 49.7 | † | † | 8 | 10 | † |
| 4 | Rock Valley College | 48.6 | 13.3 | 9.2 | 14 | 5 | 7.1 |
| 5 | SWIC | 47.3 | 12.3 | 8.3 | 20 | 0 | 6.7 |
| 6 | SIU Carbondale | 45.7 | † | † | 14 | 0 | † |
Across the State Line
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near the Illinois Border
2 FAA-approved schools in neighboring states within 100 miles of Chicago, nearest first.
By Metro Area
Aviation Maintenance School Rankings by Illinois Metro Area
Each metro ranking scores every school within commuting range and adds the local airports, employers, and BLS pay for aircraft mechanics.
| Metro Ranking | Schools Within 100 mi | Top-Ranked School | Median Pay, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aviation maintenance schools near Chicago | 5 | Lewis University | $100,610 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Rockford | 4 | Lewis University |
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Illinois
BLS reports a median annual wage of $81,680 ($39.27 an hour) for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in Illinois, where 3,370 people held the job in May 2025. That median ranks 19th of the 50 states with published data; the national median is $79,870.
Projections Central expects statewide employment in the occupation to move from 3,780 in 2024 to 3,980 in 2034 (+5.4%), with about 310 openings a year.
Avionics Technician Pay in Illinois
See the full Illinois aircraft mechanic salary breakdown by metro area
Local Context
Two Bachelor's-Degree Paths in a Six-School State
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, in Murphysboro, and Lewis University in Romeoville both build a Bachelor of Science into their aviation maintenance offerings, alongside a separate Airframe and Powerplant certificate track for students who just want the FAA rating. That's 2 of Illinois's 6 schools offering a four-year option.
The other four, Aviation Institute of Maintenance Chicago, Southwestern Illinois College in Granite City, Rock Valley College in Rockford, and Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, all lead to a certificate or associate degree instead, spread from the Chicago area down to the southern tip of the state.
A Faster or Slower Track at Southwestern Illinois College
Southwestern Illinois College in Granite City lets students choose between an intensive 50-week schedule or a standard two-year pace for the same Airframe and Powerplant certification.
Evening Classes for Working Adults in Illinois
Lewis University in Romeoville builds its Airframe and Powerplant certificate courses around evening labs, aimed at working adults rather than full-time day students. Aviation Institute of Maintenance Chicago also offers day and evening classes for the same reason.
Methodology
How We Rank Aviation Maintenance Schools in Illinois
Every open FAA-approved college-level school gets one national score out of 100: Outcomes 30 (IPEDS graduation rate), Cost 25 (comparable whole-program price), Program Depth 20, Access 15, and Scale 10 (IPEDS awards a year). This page orders the schools in Illinois by that score, so the ranks here match the national list of 204 ranked schools.
The full rules, including how a missing figure is scored at the peer median, are on our ranking methodology page.
FAA Certification
Getting Your A&P License in Illinois
The FAA issues the mechanic certificate with Airframe and Powerplant ratings, known as the A&P, under federal rules in 14 CFR Part 65, so the path is the same in every state. You qualify by graduating from an FAA-approved school or by documenting at least 30 months of hands-on work for both ratings, then passing three FAA knowledge tests and an oral and practical exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many FAA Part 147 Aircraft Maintenance Schools Are in Illinois?
Which Illinois Schools Offer a Bachelor's Degree in Aviation Maintenance?
How Does Aircraft Mechanic Pay in Illinois Compare to the National Median?
What Is the Job Growth Outlook for Aircraft Mechanics in Illinois?
How Long Is Aviation Maintenance School in Illinois?
How Much Does Aviation Maintenance School Cost in Illinois?
Sources
- FAA AV-Info Part 147 school records
- IPEDS via Hapi, CIP 47.0607-47.0609 (all levels) + 49.0104 (bachelor's/master's)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates
- Projections Central, State Occupational Employment Projections 2024-2034
- eCFR 14 CFR Part 65, Subpart D (Mechanics)
- FAA - Become an Aviation Mechanic
- FAA - Experience Requirements to Become an Aircraft Mechanic
All sources retrieved .
How we source and check each listing is explained on our data methodology page.