Albany at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Albany
6
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
44.7
CT Aero Tech
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Albany Metro
120
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$72,490
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
0.31
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 10580).
A regional airline keeps a maintenance base right in the Albany metro. CommuteAir relocated one of its maintenance operations to Albany International Airport, where it services its fleet of regional jets. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians in the metro earn a median $72,490 a year, just below the $79,870 U.S. median for the occupation.
Training is close by too. Hudson Valley Community College, 3.5 miles from downtown Albany, runs a hands-on Aviation Maintenance Technician program at the airport itself. Franklin County Technical School in Turners Falls, 64.7 miles away, and Westfield Technical Academy in Westfield, 64.8 miles away, are both FAA-certified public high school programs with airframe training.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Albany
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Albany, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Albany
Highest overall score of the 3 ranked schools, 44.7 out of 100.
Albany Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Albany
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Albany, 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 Albany.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Albany
#1
Connecticut Aero Tech School
Hartford, Connecticut 87 miles from Albany #106 nationally
44.7 of 100
Connecticut Aero Tech School fits day-schedule students working toward becoming an aircraft mechanic over two years at an extension campus based at Brainard Airport.
- Type
- Technical College
- Credentials
- Certificate (Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic, upon passing FAA exams)
- Length
- 2 years
- Starts
- December 2026 enrollment class applications open
-
#2
Hudson Valley Community College
Albany, New York 4 miles from Albany #173 nationally
36.7 of 100
This program fits students near Albany, New York who want a 12-month Aviation Maintenance Technician certification, trained on Air Force jet aircraft donated to the school.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- FAA Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Certification
- Length
- 12-month program with extensive hands-on instruction and training
- Starts
- Monday, Jan. 11 (January 2027 cohort); Monday, June 28 (June 2027 cohort)
-
#3
Dutchess Community College
Wappingers Falls, New York 72 miles from Albany #180 nationally
35.3 of 100
This program fits students in the Hudson Valley who want a four-semester associate degree covering both airframe and powerplant ratings at a public community college price.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
- Length
- 64 total credit hours across four semesters
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CT Aero Tech | 44.7 | † | † | 8 | 5 | † |
| 2 | Hudson Valley Community College | 36.7 | † | † | 0 | 5 | † |
| 3 | SUNY Dutchess | 35.3 | 5.2 | 12.5 | 14 | 0 | 3.6 |
High School Pathways
High School Aviation Maintenance Programs Near Albany
These 2 FAA-approved programs are run by a high school or career center, so they are listed apart from the college ranking, nearest first.
Mohawk Valley Community College is left out because the school says the program is closing to new students.
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in New York ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Albany
Aircraft mechanics in the Albany metro area earn a median of $72,490 a year ($34.85 an hour), $30,310 below the New York median of $102,800.
Albany Pay vs. New York and U.S. Medians
The Albany median is $7,380 below the U.S. median of $79,870.
Compare metro areas across the state on the New York aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Albany
BLS counts 120 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Albany metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.31.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Airline Maintenance
CommuteAir
Regional airline maintenance base at Albany International Airport
CommuteAir relocated one of its key maintenance bases to Albany International Airport in 2014 to service its Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet fleet.
Source: Albany International Airport (Wikipedia)
Military Depot
109th Airlift Wing, 109th Maintenance Group
Stratton Air National Guard Base, Schenectady, NY
The New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing, which flies ski-equipped LC-130H Hercules aircraft to Antarctica and the Arctic, includes a 109th Maintenance Group responsible for aircraft upkeep at Stratton Air National Guard Base.
Source: 109th Airlift Wing (Wikipedia)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Albany International (ALB) recorded 1,490,673 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany International | ALB | Small hub | 1,490,673 | 168,013,600 |
Local Context
A Military Depot Flying to Antarctica
Stratton Air National Guard Base in Schenectady is where the New York Air National Guard bases its airlift wing, the unit that flies ski-equipped Hercules aircraft to Antarctica and the Arctic. Its maintenance group keeps that fleet flying, a kind of specialized aircraft maintenance work found in few other U.S. metros.
For mechanics who want military experience alongside civilian training options, it's part of what sets the Albany maintenance job market apart from a typical regional airport.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Albany: Common Questions
What Schools Near Albany Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Albany?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers Near Albany?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work in Albany?
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)
- Commercial Service Airports, CY2024 Enplanements
- Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- CommuteAir: Albany International Airport
- 109th Airlift Wing, 109th Maintenance Group: 109th Airlift Wing
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.