Portland at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Portland
3
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
41.7
Columbia Gorge Community College
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Portland Metro
610
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$83,760
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
0.56
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 38900).
Portland International landed 1,785,584,390 pounds of cargo in 2024, a volume that keeps ramp and freight-handling maintenance crews working around the clock. The airport, classified as a medium hub, also handled 8,639,088 passenger enplanements the same year. Metro aircraft mechanics earn a median $83,760, close to the $79,870 national median.
Portland Community College's Aviation Maintenance Technology program is the closest option at 10.3 miles, followed by Hillsboro Aero Academy at 14 miles, both offering full airframe and powerplant training. Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles, about 70.9 miles out, rounds out the options within the wider metro.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Portland
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Portland, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Portland
Most Affordable Near Portland
Best Outcomes Near Portland
Columbia Gorge Community College
Highest overall score of the 3 ranked schools, 41.7 out of 100.
Lowest comparable program cost of the 3 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%.
Portland Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Portland
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Portland, 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 Portland.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Portland
- Most Affordable Near Portland
- Best Outcomes Near Portland
#1
Columbia Gorge Community College
The Dalles, Oregon 71 miles from Portland #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
-
#2
Portland Community College
Portland, Oregon 10 miles from Portland #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
-
#3
Hillsboro Aero Academy
Hillsboro, Oregon 14 miles from Portland #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 | Columbia Gorge Community College | 41.7 | 4.1 | 16.1 | 14 | 5 | 2.5 |
| 2 | Portland Community College | 38.2 | 0.3 | 15.2 | 8 | 10 | 4.7 |
| 3 | Hillsboro Aero Academy | 31.7 | † | 4.5 | 8 | 0 | † |
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in Oregon ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Portland
Aircraft mechanics in the Portland metro area earn a median of $83,760 a year ($40.27 an hour), $910 above the Oregon median of $82,850.
Portland Pay vs. Oregon and U.S. Medians
The Portland median is $3,890 above the U.S. median of $79,870.
Avionics Technician Pay in Portland
BLS counts 110 avionics technicians in the Portland metro area, with a median of $107,370 a year.
Compare metro areas across the state on the Oregon aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Portland
BLS counts 610 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Portland metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.56.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Helicopter Operations
Hillsboro Aviation
FAA Part 145 repair station and service center at Hillsboro Airport, Hillsboro, OR
Hillsboro Aviation is an FAA-certified repair station in Hillsboro that inspects, modifies, and overhauls helicopters, jets, turboprops, and pistons as an authorized service center for manufacturers including Airbus Helicopters and Bell.
Factory-trained mechanics and avionics technicians average over 20 years of experience
Source: Aircraft Maintenance - Hillsboro Aviation (hillsboroaviation.com)
Helicopter Operations
Columbia Helicopters
Heavy-lift helicopter operations and MRO facility at 14452 Arndt Rd NE, Aurora, OR
Columbia Helicopters, based in Aurora in the Portland metro area, provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul support for heavy-lift helicopter operators worldwide and holds the type certificate for the Chinook 234 and 107-II helicopters.
Over 200 trained technicians
Source: Columbia Helicopters - Home (colheli.com)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Portland International (PDX) recorded 8,639,088 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland International | PDX | Medium hub | 8,639,088 | 1,785,584,390 |
Local Context
PDX's Air-Cargo Volume
Portland International landed 1,785,584,390 pounds of cargo in 2024, making freight handling a steady source of maintenance work at the airport. The airport is classified as a medium hub and also handled 8,639,088 passenger enplanements that year.
Helicopter Maintenance Employers in the Metro
Hillsboro Aviation operates an FAA-certified repair station at Hillsboro Airport, an authorized service center for helicopter manufacturers including Airbus Helicopters and Bell. Columbia Helicopters, based in Aurora, provides maintenance and overhaul support for heavy-lift helicopter operators worldwide and holds the type certificate for its own line of heavy-lift helicopter models.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Portland: Common Questions
What Schools Train Aircraft Mechanics Near Portland?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Portland?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Portland?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work in Portland?
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)
- Hillsboro Aviation: Aircraft Maintenance - Hillsboro Aviation
- Columbia Helicopters: Columbia Helicopters - Home
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.