Charlotte at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Charlotte
4
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
55.4
GTCC
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Charlotte Metro
1,310
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$78,580
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
1.09
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 16740).
American Airlines operates a maintenance base at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, where it has been adding aviation maintenance technician positions. Piedmont Airlines, an American Airlines Group regional carrier, also runs a line maintenance operation and crew base at the same airport. Local mechanics earn a median $78,580 a year, close to the $79,870 U.S. median.
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Charlotte is 6.2 miles away, with a dedicated hangar for airframe and powerplant training. Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem is 72.2 miles out, and Guilford Technical Community College in Greensboro is 78.6 miles away, both offering Airframe and Powerplant certification paths.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Charlotte
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Charlotte, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Charlotte
Guilford Technical Community College
Highest overall score of the 4 ranked schools, 55.4 out of 100.
Most Affordable Near Charlotte
Best Outcomes Near Charlotte
Forsyth Technical Community College
Lowest comparable program cost of the 2 ranked schools with one: $3,648, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 2 ranked schools that report one: 34%.
Charlotte Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Charlotte
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Charlotte, 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 Charlotte.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Charlotte
#1
Guilford Technical Community College
Greensboro, North Carolina 79 miles from Charlotte #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
-
#2
Greenville Technical College
Greenville, South Carolina 92 miles from Charlotte #62 nationally
50.7 of 100
This program fits a veteran or adult student in upstate South Carolina who wants GI Bill funding, hands-on jet and reciprocating engine training, and a pathway toward a bachelor's degree at Embry-Riddle.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate in Applied Science (also offers Aviation Airframe Structure/Systems, Aviation Fundamentals, and Aviation Powerplant Theory/Systems Certificates)
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#3
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina 6 miles from Charlotte #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 Near Charlotte
- Best Outcomes Near Charlotte
#4
Forsyth Technical Community College
Winston-Salem, North Carolina 72 miles from Charlotte #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
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GTCC | 55.4 | 6.8 | 13.1 | 14 | 15 | 6.5 |
| 2 | Greenville Technical College | 50.7 | † | † | 14 | 5 | † |
| 3 | AIM Charlotte | 49.7 | † | † | 8 | 10 | † |
| 4 | Forsyth Tech | 48.6 | 10.5 | 22 | 14 | 0 | 2.1 |
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in North Carolina ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Charlotte
Aircraft mechanics in the Charlotte metro area earn a median of $78,580 a year ($37.78 an hour), $1,600 above the North Carolina median of $76,980.
Charlotte Pay vs. North Carolina and U.S. Medians
The Charlotte median is $1,290 below the U.S. median of $79,870.
Avionics Technician Pay in Charlotte
BLS counts 110 avionics technicians in the Charlotte metro area, with a median of $101,880 a year.
Compare metro areas across the state on the North Carolina aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Charlotte
BLS counts 1,310 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Charlotte metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 1.09.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Airline Maintenance
American Airlines - Charlotte Maintenance Base
Line and heavy-check maintenance hangars at Charlotte Douglas International Airport
American Airlines operates a maintenance base at Charlotte Douglas International Airport where aviation maintenance technicians perform line maintenance and are adding heavy check work.
133 total openings, including 122 AMTs, announced for the Charlotte base in 2024
Source: American invests in the future of aviation maintenance with new jobs, additional work (news.aa.com)
Airline Maintenance
Piedmont Airlines - Charlotte
Line maintenance and crew base at Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Piedmont Airlines, a wholly owned American Airlines Group regional carrier, maintains line maintenance operations and a crew base at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Source: Piedmont Airlines maintenance mechanic careers (piedmont-airlines.com)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Charlotte/Douglas International (CLT) recorded 28,523,822 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte/Douglas International | CLT | Large hub | 28,523,822 | 745,323,020 |
| Concord-Padgett Regional | JQF | Nonhub | 132,000 |
Local Context
American Airlines' Growing Maintenance Base at Charlotte Douglas
American Airlines operates a maintenance base at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, where the carrier has been adding aviation maintenance technician positions as it expands into heavier check work.
Piedmont Airlines, an American Airlines Group regional carrier, keeps a separate line maintenance operation and crew base at the same airport.
Concord-Padgett Adds a Second Runway to the Market
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport handled 28,523,822 enplanements and landed 745,323,020 lb of cargo in 2024. Concord-Padgett Regional Airport, a nonhub facility in the same metro, added 132,000 enplanements of its own, spreading ramp and hangar work across two active airports.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Charlotte: Common Questions
What Schools Near Charlotte Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Charlotte?
Who Are the Major Aviation Maintenance Employers in Charlotte?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work in Charlotte?
Do Hours 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)
- American Airlines - Charlotte Maintenance Base: American invests in the future of aviation maintenance with new jobs, additional work
- Piedmont Airlines - Charlotte: Piedmont Airlines maintenance mechanic careers
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.