Key Figures for Aviation Maintenance Schools in Louisiana
Aviation Maintenance Schools in Louisiana
4
FAA AV-Info, Sep 2026
Ranked in This State
4
Methodology 2.1
Top Score in the State
53.0
SOWELA
Median Aircraft Mechanic Pay
$79,780
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Aircraft Mechanics Employed
1,150
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Public community and technical colleges account for most of Louisiana's aircraft maintenance training, and the field is projected to grow 6.7% through 2034, above the national rate of 4%.
Baton Rouge Community College, South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette, and SOWELA Technical Community College in Lake Charles are all public, spread across the southern half of the state. Southern University at Shreveport rounds out training in the north with its own Airframe Technology diploma and certificate.
Aircraft mechanics in Louisiana earn a median of $79,780 a year, almost exactly matching the $79,870 national median, and the state ranks 23rd among 50 states for that pay. Growth is projected at 6.7% through 2034, adding 100 positions, with about 120 openings expected each year.
Top Picks
Top Picks in Louisiana
Among the aviation maintenance schools in Louisiana, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties and one-school lists produce none.
Top Pick in Louisiana
Best Outcomes in Louisiana
SOWELA Technical Community College
Highest overall score of the 4 ranked schools, 53.0 out of 100.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 3 ranked schools that report one: 43%.
Most Affordable in Louisiana
South Louisiana Community College
Lowest comparable program cost of the 3 ranked schools with one: $6,670, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
Louisiana Ranking
Top-Ranked Aircraft Mechanic Schools in Louisiana
The 4 ranked aviation maintenance schools in Louisiana, 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 Louisiana
- Best Outcomes in Louisiana
#1
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
-
#2
Baton Rouge Community College
Central, Louisiana #116 nationally
43.1 of 100
This associate degree program fits someone in the Baton Rouge area who wants to earn stackable airframe and powerplant certificates on the way to a full degree.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS); Technical Diploma; plus 2 more
- Length
- 70 total semester credit hours across six semesters
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
- Most Affordable in Louisiana
#3
South Louisiana Community College
Lafayette, Louisiana #183 nationally
34.1 of 100
South Louisiana Community College fits students who want a public, two-year path to the FAA Airframe and Powerplant exam, training at Lafayette Regional Airport with equal in-state and out-of-state tuition.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- 2-year program preparing students for the FAA Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic Certification exam
- Length
- 2-year program
-
#4
Southern University at Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana #193 nationally
31.7 of 100
This program fits students who want a choice between a shorter Airframe Technology certificate and a full Airframe and Powerplant Maintenance technical diploma, at a dedicated aerospace center in Shreveport, Louisiana.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Technical Diploma (Airframe and Powerplant Maintenance); Certificate of Technical Studies (Airframe Technology)
- Length
- Airframe Technology CTS: 43 credit hours
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SOWELA | 53.0 | 20.2 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 2.8 |
| 2 | BRCC | 43.1 | 6.8 | 13.7 | 14 | 5 | 3.6 |
| 3 | South Louisiana Community College | 34.1 | 5.2 | 18.8 | 8 | 0 | 2.1 |
| 4 | SUSLA | 31.7 | † | † | 0 | 0 | † |
Across the State Line
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near the Louisiana Border
1 FAA-approved school in neighboring states within 100 miles of New Orleans, nearest first.
By Metro Area
Aviation Maintenance School Rankings by Louisiana 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 New Orleans | 2 | Pearl River Community College | $82,160 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Baton Rouge | 2 | Pearl River Community College | $80,820 |
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Louisiana
BLS reports a median annual wage of $79,780 ($38.36 an hour) for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in Louisiana, where 1,150 people held the job in May 2025. That median ranks 23rd of the 50 states with published data; the national median is $79,870.
Projections Central expects statewide employment in the occupation to move from 1,470 in 2024 to 1,570 in 2034 (+6.7%), with about 120 openings a year.
Avionics Technician Pay in Louisiana
See the full Louisiana aircraft mechanic salary breakdown by metro area
Local Context
New Orleans and Baton Rouge Bracket Louisiana's Pay
New Orleans's aircraft mechanics earn a median of $82,160 a year, and Baton Rouge's earn $80,820, both above the $79,780 statewide figure. New Orleans has 966,230 people and Baton Rouge 882,652, similar in size but each with its own pay level.
Baton Rouge Community College trains directly inside that Baton Rouge market. South Louisiana Community College and SOWELA Technical Community College serve Lafayette and Lake Charles instead, farther from either large metro.
A Mississippi Border Option Near Lake Charles
Pearl River Community College in Kiln, Mississippi, sits 36.4 miles from the Louisiana line, giving students near the state's southeastern edge another nearby option beyond the 4 in-state schools.
Methodology
How We Rank Aviation Maintenance Schools in Louisiana
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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana
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 Louisiana?
Which Louisiana School Trains in the Northern Part of the State?
How Does Aircraft Mechanic Pay in Louisiana Compare to the National Median?
What Is the Job Growth Outlook for Aircraft Mechanics in Louisiana?
How Long Is Aviation Maintenance School in Louisiana?
How Much Does Aviation Maintenance School Cost in Louisiana?
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.