Minneapolis-St. Paul at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Minneapolis-St. Paul
2
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
48.4
Lake Superior College
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro
2,110
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$90,050
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
1.22
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 33460).
Delta TechOps runs a wide-body Center of Excellence at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, handling heavy maintenance work for the airline's long-haul fleet. The airport is a large hub that handled 18,054,481 enplanements in 2024. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians in the metro earn a median $90,050 a year, above the $79,870 U.S. median.
Training options sit at both ends of the metro. Minneapolis College is 7 miles from downtown, with an Aircraft Maintenance Technician program. St. Cloud Technical and Community College is 61.5 miles out, offering the same credential for those in the northern suburbs and beyond.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Minneapolis-St. Paul
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Minneapolis-St. Paul, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Minneapolis-St. Paul
Most Affordable Near Minneapolis-St. Paul
Best Outcomes Near Minneapolis-St. Paul
Highest overall score of the 3 ranked schools, 48.4 out of 100.
Lowest comparable program cost of the 2 ranked schools with one: $9,992, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 2 ranked schools that report one: 42%.
Minneapolis-St. Paul Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Minneapolis-St. Paul
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Minneapolis-St. Paul, ordered by score, plus the nearest ranked schools out to 139 miles so the list has at least 3. 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 Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Minneapolis-St. Paul
- Most Affordable Near Minneapolis-St. Paul
- Best Outcomes Near Minneapolis-St. Paul
#1
Lake Superior College
Duluth, Minnesota 139 miles from Minneapolis-St. Paul #81 nationally
48.4 of 100
This program fits Minnesota students who want a two-year associate degree with airline industry partnerships, training airframe and powerplant ratings full-time on Lake Superior's Duluth campus.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
- Length
- 2 years
- Cost
- $5,931, average annual tuition and fees, 2025-26
-
#2
St. Cloud Technical & Community College
St. Cloud, Minnesota 62 miles from Minneapolis-St. Paul #102 nationally
45.7 of 100
This program fits central Minnesota students who want a combined airframe-and-powerplant credential with a choice between a diploma and an associate degree.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- AAS; Diploma
-
#3
Minneapolis College
Minneapolis, Minnesota 7 miles from Minneapolis-St. Paul #197 nationally
31.1 of 100
This program fits students near Minneapolis-St. Paul who want a public two-year path to combined airframe and powerplant ratings, training inside Delta Air Lines' own maintenance facility on a capped 25-student annual cohort.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- A.A.S. Degree (83 credits); Diploma (68 credits)
- Length
- 6 continuous semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer cycle)
- Cost
- $254.95, per credit
- Starts
- one cohort of 25 new students per year, Fall semester
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Superior College | 48.4 | 18.2 | 12.8 | 14 | 0 | 3.4 |
| 2 | St. Cloud Technical & Community College | 45.7 | † | † | 14 | 0 | † |
| 3 | Minneapolis College | 31.1 | 0.6 | 7.1 | 14 | 5 | 4.4 |
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in Minnesota ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Minneapolis-St. Paul
Aircraft mechanics in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area earn a median of $90,050 a year ($43.29 an hour), $8,070 above the Minnesota median of $81,980.
Minneapolis-St. Paul Pay vs. Minnesota and U.S. Medians
The Minneapolis-St. Paul median is $10,180 above the U.S. median of $79,870.
Avionics Technician Pay in Minneapolis-St. Paul
BLS counts avionics technicians in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, with a median of $57,100 a year.
Compare metro areas across the state on the Minnesota aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Minneapolis-St. Paul
BLS counts 2,110 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 1.22.
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
A330 Center of Excellence at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
Delta TechOps houses its A330 Center of Excellence at MSP, specializing in heavy maintenance for Delta's A330 fleet.
Source: Everything You Need To Know About Delta TechOps - Simple Flying (simpleflying.com)
Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
West Star Aviation
West Star Minneapolis satellite MRO station at MSP
West Star Aviation operates an FAA certified repair station at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport offering avionics repair and installation, airframe repair and maintenance, and interior and paint touch-up work.
Source: Minneapolis, Minnesota Aircraft Maintenance | MSP | West Star Aviation (weststaraviation.com)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Minneapolis-St Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain (MSP) recorded 18,054,481 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain | MSP | Large hub | 18,054,481 | 809,325,990 |
Local Context
Delta's Wide-Body Maintenance Hub
Delta TechOps operates a wide-body Center of Excellence at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, specializing in heavy maintenance for the airline's long-haul fleet. West Star Aviation runs a satellite MRO station at the same airport, an FAA certified repair station handling avionics repair, airframe work, and interior touch-up for other operators.
A Large Hub With Room for Two Maintenance Shops
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport handled 18,054,481 enplanements in 2024 and moved 809,325,990 pounds of cargo the same year. That scale supports both Delta TechOps' Center of Excellence and West Star Aviation's repair station without either operation competing for space.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Minneapolis-St. Paul: Common Questions
What Schools Near Minneapolis-St. Paul Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work?
Do Hours Working at a Local Employer Count Toward FAA Certification?
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
- West Star Aviation: Minneapolis, Minnesota Aircraft Maintenance | MSP | West Star Aviation
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.