Key Figures for Aviation Maintenance Schools in Oregon
Aviation Maintenance Schools in Oregon
4
FAA AV-Info, Sep 2026
Ranked in This State
4
Methodology 2.1
Top Score in the State
43.6
Lane Community College
Median Aircraft Mechanic Pay
$82,850
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Aircraft Mechanics Employed
1,080
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Oregon's aircraft mechanic job growth is projected at 11.6% through 2034, well above the national rate of 4%.
Lane Community College in Eugene and Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles both run two-year Associate of Applied Science tracks. Hillsboro Aero Academy in Hillsboro breaks its Airframe and Powerplant preparation into separate general, airframe, and powerplant modules, and Portland Community College teaches in four-week blocks with mornings reserved for class and afternoons open for work.
Aircraft mechanics in Oregon earn a median of $82,850 a year, above the $79,870 national median, and the state ranks 14th among 50 states for that pay. Growth is projected at 11.6% through 2034, adding 120 positions, with about 100 openings expected each year.
Top Picks
Top Picks in Oregon
Among the aviation maintenance schools in Oregon, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties and one-school lists produce none.
Top Pick in Oregon
Highest overall score of the 4 ranked schools, 43.6 out of 100.
Most Affordable in Oregon
Best Outcomes in Oregon
Columbia Gorge Community College
Lowest comparable program cost of the 4 ranked schools with one: $9,000, from IPEDS in-state tuition and the published length.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 2 ranked schools that report one: 29%.
Oregon Ranking
Top-Ranked Aircraft Mechanic Schools in Oregon
The 4 ranked aviation maintenance schools in Oregon, 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 Oregon
#1
Lane Community College
Eugene, Oregon #114 nationally
43.6 of 100
This program fits Oregon students who want a two-year, full-time associate degree combining airframe and powerplant ratings, training out of a shared cargo hangar next to Eugene's airport.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Applied Science
- Length
- 2 years, full-time
- Cost
- $23,318, full program
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
- Most Affordable in Oregon
- Best Outcomes in Oregon
#2
Columbia Gorge Community College
The Dalles, Oregon #123 nationally
41.7 of 100
Columbia Gorge Community College fits students who want a two-year path to an AAS with stackable certificates along the way, in a location where the next certificated school is 80.9 miles off.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Applied Science
- Length
- 2 years, full-time (104 credits)
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#3
Portland Community College
Portland, Oregon #163 nationally
38.2 of 100
This program suits students who want an affordable, 23-month, modular schedule with morning classes that leave afternoons free for work, at a public college near Portland, Oregon.
- Type
- Community College
- Length
- 23 months; each module is four weeks long, usually 90 hours of instruction
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Starts
- fall or winter terms
-
#4
Hillsboro Aero Academy
Hillsboro, Oregon #187 nationally
31.7 of 100
This program fits students near Portland, Oregon who want a private, cost-defined path to Airframe and Powerplant certification prep, built around three sequential courses.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certification preparation
- Length
- 48 weeks (General 4 weeks, Airframe 22 weeks, Powerplant 22 weeks)
- Cost
- $29,500, total program
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lane Community College | 43.6 | † | 5.4 | 14 | 5 | † |
| 2 | Columbia Gorge Community College | 41.7 | 4.1 | 16.1 | 14 | 5 | 2.5 |
| 3 | Portland Community College | 38.2 | 0.3 | 15.2 | 8 | 10 | 4.7 |
| 4 | Hillsboro Aero Academy | 31.7 | † | 4.5 | 8 | 0 | † |
By Metro Area
Aviation Maintenance School Rankings by Oregon Metro Area
Each metro ranking scores every school within commuting range and adds the local airports, employers, and BLS pay for aircraft mechanics.
| Metro Ranking | Schools Within 100 mi | Top-Ranked School | Median Pay, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aviation maintenance schools near Portland | 3 | Columbia Gorge Community College | $83,760 |
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Oregon
BLS reports a median annual wage of $82,850 ($39.83 an hour) for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in Oregon, where 1,080 people held the job in May 2025. That median ranks 14th of the 50 states with published data; the national median is $79,870.
Projections Central expects statewide employment in the occupation to move from 1,040 in 2024 to 1,170 in 2034 (+11.6%), with about 100 openings a year.
Avionics Technician Pay in Oregon
See the full Oregon aircraft mechanic salary breakdown by metro area
Local Context
A Schedule Built Around Working Students in Portland
Portland Community College structures its aviation maintenance program around four-week modules, with most classes held in the morning so afternoons and evenings stay open for a job.
That's a different rhythm than Lane Community College in Eugene or Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles, both of which run a standard two-year Associate of Applied Science instead.
Separate Modules at Hillsboro Aero Academy
Hillsboro Aero Academy breaks its Airframe and Powerplant preparation into distinct general, airframe, and powerplant modules rather than one continuous track, letting students see clear checkpoints on the way to the FAA mechanic certificate, known as the A&P.
Methodology
How We Rank Aviation Maintenance Schools in Oregon
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 Oregon 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 Oregon
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 Oregon?
Which Oregon School Breaks Its Training Into Separate Modules?
How Does Aircraft Mechanic Pay in Oregon Compare to the National Median?
What Is the Job Growth Outlook for Aircraft Mechanics in Oregon?
How Long Is Aviation Maintenance School in Oregon?
How Much Does Aviation Maintenance School Cost in Oregon?
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.