St. Louis at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near St. Louis
4
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
55.9
Lincoln Land Community College
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, St. Louis Metro
890
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$77,600
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
0.75
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 41180).
Boeing is building an aircraft assembly, flight-test, and maintenance complex at St. Louis Lambert International for the Navy's Stingray drone program, expected to employ approximately 150 mechanics, engineers, and support staff. Local aircraft mechanics and service technicians earn a median $77,600 a year, below the $79,870 U.S. median, in a metro where mechanic employment sits below the national concentration for the job (location quotient 0.75).
Four training options sit within reach. Southwestern Illinois College, 11 miles away in Granite City, offers an Associate Degree and certificates in Airframe, Powerplant, and Avionics. Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 81.4 miles away, and State Technical College of Missouri, 85.5 miles away in Linn, both run bachelor's or associate paths with FAA testing on site. Lincoln Land Community College, 88.8 miles away in Springfield, offers certificate and associate degree tracks.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near St. Louis
Among the aviation maintenance schools near St. Louis, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near St. Louis
Most Affordable Near St. Louis
Lincoln Land Community College
Highest overall score of the 4 ranked schools, 55.9 out of 100.
Lowest comparable program cost of the 3 ranked schools with one: $10,080, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
Best Outcomes Near St. Louis
State Technical College of Missouri
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 3 ranked schools that report one: 84%.
St. Louis Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near St. Louis
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of St. Louis, 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 St. Louis.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near St. Louis
- Most Affordable Near St. Louis
#1
Lincoln Land Community College
Springfield, Illinois 89 miles from St. Louis #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
-
- Best Outcomes Near St. Louis
#2
State Technical College of Missouri
Linn, Missouri 86 miles from St. Louis #58 nationally
51.5 of 100
This program fits Missouri students who want a four-semester airframe-and-powerplant credential with an 84% IPEDS graduation rate and no other certificated program within about 94.3 miles.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- AAS; Certificate (Airframe); plus 1 more
- Length
- four semesters
- Cost
- $32,301, total program (average tuition expense, 2024-2025)
-
#3
Southwestern Illinois College
Granite City, Illinois 11 miles from St. Louis #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
-
#4
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Murphysboro, Illinois 81 miles from St. Louis #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 | Lincoln Land Community College | 55.9 | 22.9 | 11.9 | 14 | 5 | 2.1 |
| 2 | State Technical College of Missouri | 51.5 | 30 | 2.7 | 14 | 0 | 4.8 |
| 3 | SWIC | 47.3 | 12.3 | 8.3 | 20 | 0 | 6.7 |
| 4 | SIU Carbondale | 45.7 | † | † | 14 | 0 | † |
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in Missouri ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in St. Louis
Aircraft mechanics in the St. Louis metro area earn a median of $77,600 a year ($37.31 an hour), $6,130 above the Missouri median of $71,470.
St. Louis Pay vs. Missouri and U.S. Medians
The St. Louis median is $2,270 below the U.S. median of $79,870.
Avionics Technician Pay in St. Louis
BLS counts 150 avionics technicians in the St. Louis metro area, with a median of $82,200 a year.
Compare metro areas across the state on the Missouri aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in St. Louis
BLS counts 890 aircraft mechanic jobs in the St. Louis metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.75.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Manufacturer
Boeing Defense, Space & Security - St. Louis
Aircraft assembly, flight-test, and maintenance facility on leased parcels at St. Louis Lambert International Airport
Boeing is building an aircraft assembly, flight-test, and maintenance complex at St. Louis Lambert International Airport where mechanics and engineers will build and maintain the MQ-25 Stingray for the Navy.
Scheduled to be operational in 2025 and will initially employ approximately 150 mechanics, engineers and support staff
Source: Boeing Site Development for Aircraft Assembly and Flight Testing (flystl.com)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
St Louis Lambert International (STL) recorded 7,807,362 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Louis Lambert International | STL | Medium hub | 7,807,362 | 424,782,500 |
| Scott AFB/Midamerica St Louis | BLV | Nonhub | 152,632 |
Local Context
Boeing's Stingray Program at Lambert
Boeing is building an aircraft assembly, flight-test, and maintenance complex on leased parcels at St. Louis Lambert International, where mechanics and engineers will build and maintain the Navy's Stingray drone. The company expects the site to employ approximately 150 mechanics, engineers, and support staff once it's running, adding a manufacturer's maintenance workforce next to the metro's existing commercial and general aviation shops.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near St. Louis: Common Questions
What Schools Near St. Louis Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in St. Louis?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in St. Louis?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work?
Do Hours Working 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)
- Boeing Defense, Space & Security - St. Louis: Boeing Site Development for Aircraft Assembly and Flight Testing
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.