Best Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Rockford, IL (2026)

Among the aviation maintenance schools near Rockford, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.

• Top Pick Near Rockford

  Best Outcomes Near Rockford

  Lewis University

  Romeoville, Illinois · #1, score 61.1

  Highest overall score of the 4 ranked schools, 61.1 out of 100.

  Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 2 ranked schools that report one: 67%.

The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Rockford, ordered by score. 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 Rockford.

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

1. • Top Pick Near Rockford
   • Best Outcomes Near Rockford

   #1

   Lewis University

   Romeoville, Illinois · 68 miles from Rockford · #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

2. #2

   Aviation Institute of Maintenance Chicago

   Chicago, Illinois · 78 miles from Rockford · #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)

3. #3

   Rock Valley College

   Rockford, Illinois · 5 miles from Rockford · #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

4. #4

   Milwaukee Area Technical College

   Milwaukee, Wisconsin · 75 miles from Rockford · #132 nationally

   41.7 of 100

   This program fits students in the Milwaukee area willing to wait for a limited-capacity seat, since the General Certificate is a required first step before the Airframe Diploma, and the nearest other certificated program sits 77.3 miles away.

   Type

   Community College

   Credentials

   Certificate

   GI Bill

   Approved

   Starts

   Program starts only in the Fall semester (August)

BLS counts 580 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Rockford metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 4.78.

A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.

Electronics equipment installers and repairers for commercial and industrial equipment, the occupation covering many avionics roles, earn a median $45,620 a year in the Rockford metro. The middle half earn between $38,630 and $63,040, and the top 10 percent of earners make $67,810 or more. That concentration runs at 2.31 times the national average for the occupation.

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