Detroit at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Detroit
4
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
51.6
UTI Canton
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Detroit Metro
1,550
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$75,940
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
0.92
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 19820).
Delta TechOps runs one of Delta's line and hangar maintenance bases at Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport, a large hub that moved 16,110,696 passengers and landed 630,502,181 pounds of cargo in 2024. Local aircraft mechanics and service technicians earn a median $75,940, below the $79,870 U.S. median.
Universal Technical Institute's Canton campus is 20.8 miles from downtown Detroit, with an Aviation Maintenance Technology program built around an Airframe and Powerplant Technician track. Lansing Community College's Aviation Technology Center in Mason is 70.1 miles out, a longtime Delta Air Lines partner program.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Detroit
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Detroit, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Detroit
Best Outcomes Near Detroit
Universal Technical Institute Canton
Highest overall score of the 3 ranked schools, 51.6 out of 100.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 2 ranked schools that report one: 64%.
Detroit Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Detroit
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Detroit, 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 Detroit.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Detroit
- Best Outcomes Near Detroit
#1
Universal Technical Institute Canton
Canton, Michigan 21 miles from Detroit #57 nationally
51.6 of 100
This program fits students who want a no-experience-required path into combined airframe and powerplant training at one of three Universal Technical Institute campuses, near two Detroit-area airports.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Certificate; Associate of Applied Science (AAS) available
- Length
- 24 months or less
-
#2
Federal Aerospace Institute
Swanton, Ohio 66 miles from Detroit #172 nationally
36.7 of 100
This program fits students in northwest Ohio who want a 12-month path to an FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificate, with GI Bill funding and small class sizes at Toledo Express Airport.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- FAA Certificated Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) Aircraft Maintenance Technician
- Length
- 12 months
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#3
Lansing Community College
Mason, Michigan 70 miles from Detroit #181 nationally
35.1 of 100
This program fits Michigan students who want a 24-month path to full AMT certification with an established Delta Air Lines partnership, training just south of Lansing in Mason.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Airframe Maintenance Technology AAS/CA; Powerplant Maintenance Technology AAS/CA; plus 1 more
- Length
- 24 months for full AMT certification
- Starts
- Next Cohort Begins August 26, 2027
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UTI Canton | 51.6 | 27.1 | † | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | Federal Aerospace Institute | 36.7 | † | † | 0 | 5 | † |
| 3 | Lansing Community College | 35.1 | 2.1 | 8.6 | 14 | 5 | 5.4 |
High School Pathways
High School Aviation Maintenance Programs Near Detroit
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 Michigan ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Detroit
Aircraft mechanics in the Detroit metro area earn a median of $75,940 a year ($36.51 an hour), $1,040 above the Michigan median of $74,900.
Detroit Pay vs. Michigan and U.S. Medians
The Detroit median is $3,930 below the U.S. median of $79,870.
Avionics Technician Pay in Detroit
BLS counts 90 avionics technicians in the Detroit metro area, with a median of $58,280 a year.
Compare metro areas across the state on the Michigan aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Detroit
BLS counts 1,550 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Detroit metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.92.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Airline Maintenance
Delta TechOps
Line and hangar maintenance base at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Delta TechOps runs line and hangar maintenance operations at Detroit Metro Airport, including heavy maintenance checks, as one of Delta's ten North American maintenance bases.
Source: Everything You Need To Know About Delta TechOps - Simple Flying (simpleflying.com)
Business Aviation
Pentastar Aviation
Maintenance facility at Oakland County International Airport, Waterford Township, Michigan
Pentastar Aviation operates a 130,000 square foot maintenance facility in Waterford, Michigan providing airframe, engine and APU service and avionics work for business aircraft.
130,000-square-foot maintenance facility
Source: Maintenance | Pentastar Aviation (pentastaraviation.com)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Detroit Metro Wayne County (DTW) recorded 16,110,696 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Metro Wayne County | DTW | Large hub | 16,110,696 | 630,502,181 |
| Capital Region International | LAN | Nonhub | 123,608 | 250,035,785 |
| Willow Run | YIP | 168,514,143 |
Local Context
Delta's Heavy Maintenance Work Lands at DTW
Delta TechOps runs line and hangar maintenance operations at Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport, including heavy maintenance checks, as one of Delta's maintenance bases across North America. The airport itself moved 16,110,696 passengers and landed 630,502,181 pounds of cargo in 2024.
A Second Employer Works on Business Aircraft
Pentastar Aviation operates a maintenance facility at Oakland County International Airport in Waterford Township, providing airframe, engine, APU, and avionics work for business aircraft. That gives Detroit a second maintenance employer beyond the airline base at DTW.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Detroit: Common Questions
What Schools Near Detroit Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Detroit?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Detroit?
Do Hours Worked at a Local 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
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- Delta TechOps: Everything You Need To Know About Delta TechOps - Simple Flying
- Pentastar Aviation: Maintenance | Pentastar Aviation
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.