Durham-Chapel Hill at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Durham-Chapel Hill
5
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
65.1
Liberty University
North Carolina Median Pay (Statewide)
$76,980
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 20500).
Endeavor Air runs an overnight line maintenance base at Raleigh-Durham International, where a crew of 50 clears regional jets with nightly checks and A checks before morning departures. GE Aerospace builds jet engine cores a short drive away at its Durham plant, adding a second kind of aviation work to the metro. Nationally, aircraft mechanics and service technicians earn a median $79,870 a year.
Training runs through the wider Piedmont Triad rather than Durham itself. Guilford Technical Community College's Aviation Systems Technology program sits 59.5 miles away in Greensboro, inside a hangar built onto the airport movement area. Wayne Community College is 63.1 miles off at its own executive jetport campus in Pikeville, and Forsyth Technical Community College adds a third option 74.7 miles away in Winston-Salem.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Durham-Chapel Hill
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Durham-Chapel Hill, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Durham-Chapel Hill
Best Outcomes Near Durham-Chapel Hill
Highest overall score of the 5 ranked schools, 65.1 out of 100.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 4 ranked schools that report one: 65%.
Most Affordable Near Durham-Chapel Hill
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.
Durham-Chapel Hill Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Durham-Chapel Hill
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Durham-Chapel Hill, 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 Durham-Chapel Hill.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Durham-Chapel Hill
- Best Outcomes Near Durham-Chapel Hill
#1
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia 95 miles from Durham-Chapel Hill #15 nationally
65.1 of 100
This program fits students who want an associate degree combining airframe and powerplant training with credit for life and work experience, at a large private university in Lynchburg, Virginia.
- Type
- University
- Credentials
- Associate of Arts (AA)
- Length
- 87 credit hours
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Starts
- Jan 18, 2027; Spring 2027; Fall 2027; Spring 2028 and beyond
-
#2
Wayne Community College
Pikeville, North Carolina 63 miles from Durham-Chapel Hill #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 60 miles from Durham-Chapel Hill #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 85 miles from Durham-Chapel Hill #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)
-
- Most Affordable Near Durham-Chapel Hill
#5
Forsyth Technical Community College
Winston-Salem, North Carolina 75 miles from Durham-Chapel Hill #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 | Liberty University | 65.1 | 27.7 | † | 14 | 10 | 0.9 |
| 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 | 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 North Carolina (Statewide)
These are statewide BLS figures covering all of North Carolina: a median of $76,980 a year ($37.01 an hour) across 4,700 jobs.
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 Durham-Chapel Hill
Manufacturer
GE Aerospace (GE Aviation)
Jet engine assembly plant in Durham, NC
GE Aerospace assembles jet engines and engine cores, including the GE90, GEnx, and CFM56 lines, at its Durham manufacturing facility.
GE Aviation's Durham team of 370 employees
Source: GE Aviation's Durham Engine Facility celebrates 20 years of making engines (geaerospace.com)
Airline Maintenance
Endeavor Air
Line and overnight maintenance base at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Endeavor Air runs a maintenance base at RDU that performs overnight line checks and scheduled A checks on regional jets.
The line base is home to 50 individuals
Source: Endeavor Air Maintenance Base Spotlight: RDU (edvonthefly.com)
Local Context
Endeavor Air's Line Maintenance Base at RDU
Endeavor Air operates a maintenance base at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, running overnight line checks and scheduled A checks on regional jets. The base keeps a crew of 50 working through the night so aircraft are ready for morning departures.
It's steady, hands-on work an airframe and powerplant mechanic can step into close to home, without waiting for a heavy-check facility to open a slot.
A Jet Engine Plant Down the Road
GE Aerospace assembles jet engines and engine cores at its Durham manufacturing facility. Between that plant and Endeavor Air's line base at RDU, Durham covers two different corners of aviation maintenance work: airline line checks and engine core assembly, in the same metro.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Durham-Chapel Hill: Common Questions
What Schools Train Aircraft Mechanics Near Durham-Chapel Hill?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in the Durham-Chapel Hill Area?
Which Employers Hire Aircraft Mechanics in Durham-Chapel Hill?
How Far Is the Commute to Aircraft Mechanic Training From Durham?
Does Work at a Local Employer Count Toward FAA Mechanic 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)
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- GE Aerospace (GE Aviation): GE Aviation's Durham Engine Facility celebrates 20 years of making engines
- Endeavor Air: Endeavor Air Maintenance Base Spotlight: RDU
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.