Key Figures for Aviation Maintenance Schools in North Carolina
Aviation Maintenance Schools in North Carolina
7
FAA AV-Info, Sep 2026
Ranked in This State
7
Methodology 2.1
Top Score in the State
65.7
Craven Community College
Median Aircraft Mechanic Pay
$76,980
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Aircraft Mechanics Employed
4,700
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Public community and technical colleges handle most of North Carolina's aircraft maintenance training, and the field is projected to grow 4.2% through 2034, just above the national rate of 4%.
Guilford Technical Community College in Greensboro offers day or evening classes and lets students finish a single Airframe or Powerplant rating in as few as three and a half semesters instead of the full two-year sequence. Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem runs a four-week Part 65 Accelerated Prep Program alongside its standard associate degree, and Craven, Lenoir, and Wayne Community Colleges round out North Carolina's 7 schools.
Aircraft mechanics in North Carolina earn a median of $76,980 a year, below the $79,870 national median, and the state ranks 27th among 50 states for that pay. Growth is projected at 4.2% through 2034, adding 230 positions, with about 450 openings expected each year.
Top Picks
Top Picks in North Carolina
Among the aviation maintenance schools in North Carolina, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties and one-school lists produce none.
Top Pick in North Carolina
Highest overall score of the 7 ranked schools, 65.7 out of 100.
Most Affordable in North Carolina
Forsyth Technical Community College
Lowest comparable program cost of the 3 ranked schools with one: $3,648, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
Best Outcomes in North Carolina
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 5 ranked schools that report one: 49%.
North Carolina Ranking
Top-Ranked Aircraft Mechanic Schools in North Carolina
The 7 ranked aviation maintenance schools in North Carolina, 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 North Carolina
#1
Craven Community College
Havelock, North Carolina #14 nationally
65.7 of 100
Craven Community College fits students who want hands-on training on military and civilian aircraft with a clear transfer pathway to a bachelor's degree at East Carolina University.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate in Applied Science; Diploma
- Length
- four semesters plus two summer school sessions
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
- Best Outcomes in North Carolina
#2
Wayne Community College
Pikeville, North Carolina #34 nationally
57.8 of 100
This fits North Carolina residents who want a long-established public program with low tuition and both airframe and powerplant diploma paths.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate in Applied Science; Airframe Diploma; plus 1 more
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#3
Guilford Technical Community College
Greensboro, North Carolina #45 nationally
55.4 of 100
This program fits someone who wants full-time day or evening training toward both Airframe and Powerplant ratings in a hangar tied to named industry partners.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate in Applied Science; Diploma; plus 3 more
- Length
- 6 semesters (2 years) for full A&P licensing
- Cost
- $9,850, total program (tuition, books, fees, tools)
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Schedule
- day (8 a.m.-2 p.m.) or evening (4 p.m.-9 p.m.)
- Starts
- Fall and Spring entry
-
#4
Lenoir Community College
Kinston, North Carolina #64 nationally
50.7 of 100
This program fits North Carolina students, including dual-enrolled high schoolers, who want a two-year path covering both airframe and powerplant ratings at a dedicated aviation center in Kinston.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate Degree; Diploma (Airframe); plus 1 more
- Length
- Two Years
- Starts
- Open to high school students (dual enrollment)
-
#5
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina #70 nationally
49.7 of 100
This program fits Charlotte-area students who want a single combined airframe and powerplant certificate on a 21-month schedule, with dual-credit ties to two local school districts.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Certificate
- Length
- 21 months
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Starts
- Next start date listed as September 28 (rolling starts)
-
- Most Affordable in North Carolina
#6
Forsyth Technical Community College
Winston-Salem, North Carolina #80 nationally
48.6 of 100
This program fits North Carolina students who want a choice between a two-year associate degree, shorter certificates, or a four-week accelerated prep course, all built around FAA Part 65 testing.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate Degree in Applied Science; Airframe Maintenance Certificate; plus 2 more
- Length
- Associate degree: two years
-
#7
College of the Albemarle
Barco, North Carolina #135 nationally
41.0 of 100
College of the Albemarle fits high school students who want dual enrollment credit toward an Airframe and Powerplant diploma or associate degree at the Currituck campus.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate in Applied Science; Diploma (Airframe Maintenance); plus 1 more
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craven Community College | 65.7 | 22.9 | 20.2 | 14 | 5 | 3.6 |
| 2 | Wayne Community College | 57.8 | 23.8 | † | 14 | 5 | 2.5 |
| 3 | GTCC | 55.4 | 6.8 | 13.1 | 14 | 15 | 6.5 |
| 4 | Lenoir Community College | 50.7 | † | † | 14 | 5 | † |
| 5 | AIM Charlotte | 49.7 | † | † | 8 | 10 | † |
| 6 | Forsyth Tech | 48.6 | 10.5 | 22 | 14 | 0 | 2.1 |
| 7 | College of the Albemarle | 41.0 | 11.4 | † | 14 | 0 | 3.1 |
Across the State Line
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near the North Carolina Border
1 FAA-approved school in neighboring states within 100 miles of Charlotte, nearest first.
By Metro Area
Aviation Maintenance School Rankings by North Carolina Metro Area
Each metro ranking scores every school within commuting range and adds the local airports, employers, and BLS pay for aircraft mechanics.
| Top-Ranked School | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Aviation maintenance schools near Charlotte | 4 | GTCC | $78,580 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Raleigh | 4 | Wayne Community College | $91,600 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Greensboro-High Point | 4 | Liberty University | $64,520 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Winston-Salem | 3 | GTCC | $73,480 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Durham-Chapel Hill | 5 | Liberty University |
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in North Carolina
BLS reports a median annual wage of $76,980 ($37.01 an hour) for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in North Carolina, where 4,700 people held the job in May 2025. That median ranks 27th of the 50 states with published data; the national median is $79,870.
Projections Central expects statewide employment in the occupation to move from 5,540 in 2024 to 5,770 in 2034 (+4.2%), with about 450 openings a year.
Avionics Technician Pay in North Carolina
See the full North Carolina aircraft mechanic salary breakdown by metro area
Local Context
Raleigh Outpays North Carolina's Larger Charlotte Metro
Raleigh's aircraft mechanics earn a median of $91,600 a year, well above Charlotte's $78,580, even though Charlotte's metro population, 2,883,370, nearly doubles Raleigh's 1,562,009.
None of North Carolina's 7 schools sit directly in Raleigh. Guilford Technical Community College in Greensboro and Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem serve the central part of the state instead.
A Four-Week Fast Track at Forsyth Tech
Forsyth Technical Community College's Part 65 Accelerated Prep Program compresses exam preparation into four weeks of evening classes, a much shorter commitment than the two-year associate degree the same school also offers.
Methodology
How We Rank Aviation Maintenance Schools in North Carolina
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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina
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 North Carolina?
Which North Carolina School Offers a Faster Accelerated Program?
How Does Aircraft Mechanic Pay in North Carolina Compare to the National Median?
Is the Aircraft Mechanic Certificate a State or Federal License?
How Long Is Aviation Maintenance School in North Carolina?
How Much Does Aviation Maintenance School Cost in North Carolina?
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.