Allentown-Bethlehem at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Allentown-Bethlehem
6
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
50.7
Johnson College
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Allentown-Bethlehem Metro
130
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$74,770
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
0.38
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 10900).
Lehigh Valley International Airport moves more freight than passengers today, shaped by Amazon Air's cargo operation and a large FedEx Ground terminal on site. The airport landed 595,001,800 pounds of cargo in 2024. An independent repair shop, Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance, works turbine and piston aircraft out of a hangar there. Local aircraft mechanics and service technicians earn a median $74,770 a year, below the $79,870 U.S. median.
Training is a bit of a drive but manageable. Aviation Institute of Maintenance Philadelphia, 43.6 miles away, trains students in two hangars with turbine and reciprocating engines. Johnson College in Avoca is 53 miles out, with an associate degree program built around FAA licensure testing. Aviation Institute of Maintenance's Hasbrouck Heights campus, 75.9 miles away in New Jersey, adds another certificate option minutes from Teterboro.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Allentown-Bethlehem
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Allentown-Bethlehem, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Allentown-Bethlehem
Highest overall score of the 5 ranked schools, 50.7 out of 100.
Best Outcomes Near Allentown-Bethlehem
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 2 ranked schools that report one: 53%.
Allentown-Bethlehem Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Allentown-Bethlehem
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Allentown-Bethlehem, ordered by score. High school programs within 100 miles follow the ranking. 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 Allentown-Bethlehem.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Allentown-Bethlehem
#1
Johnson College
Avoca, Pennsylvania 53 miles from Allentown-Bethlehem #63 nationally
50.7 of 100
This program fits students near Allentown-Bethlehem who want a private, four-term Aviation Technology associate degree that targets FAA licensure exams within 60 days of graduation.
- Type
- Technical College
- Credentials
- Associate of Applied Science
- Length
- 72 credits across four terms (approximately 2 years full-time)
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#2
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
Flushing, New York 85 miles from Allentown-Bethlehem #68 nationally
50.5 of 100
This fits students who want a fast certificate at a private aeronautics college with airline hiring connections in the New York City area.
- Type
- University
- Credentials
- Certificate
- Length
- can be completed in as little as 16 months
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#3
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Hasbrouck Heights
Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey 76 miles from Allentown-Bethlehem #90 nationally
46.7 of 100
This program fits New Jersey students who need the state's only FAA-approved Part 147 school, minutes from Teterboro Airport, on a 21-month certificate schedule.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Certificate
- Length
- 21 months for full-time students
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Schedule
- day and evening classes available
- Starts
- September class start referenced (application fee waiver promotion for 9/27)
-
#4
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 44 miles from Allentown-Bethlehem #131 nationally
41.7 of 100
This certificate program suits someone near Philadelphia who wants day or evening hands-on training across two large hangars with employer connections built in.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Certificate
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Schedule
- day and evening
-
- Best Outcomes Near Allentown-Bethlehem
#5
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Montoursville, Pennsylvania 88 miles from Allentown-Bethlehem #170 nationally
37.5 of 100
This program fits someone who wants a full four-year bachelor's degree in aviation maintenance, complete with hands-on time at an FAA Approved Repair Station, rather than a shorter certificate or associate track.
- Type
- University
- Credentials
- Bachelor of Science
- Length
- 8 semesters, 50 courses, 131.5 credits
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnson College | 50.7 | † | † | 14 | 5 | † |
| 2 | Vaughn College | 50.5 | 15 | † | 8 | 5 | 10 |
| 3 | AIM Hasbrouck Heights | 46.7 | † | † | 0 | 15 | † |
| 4 | AIM Philadelphia | 41.7 | † | † | 0 | 10 | † |
| 5 | Penn College | 37.5 | 24.8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4.7 |
High School Pathways
High School Aviation Maintenance Programs Near Allentown-Bethlehem
This FAA-approved program is run by a high school or career center, so it is listed apart from the college ranking, nearest first.
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in Pennsylvania ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Allentown-Bethlehem
Aircraft mechanics in the Allentown-Bethlehem metro area earn a median of $74,770 a year ($35.95 an hour), $3,230 below the Pennsylvania median of $78,000.
Allentown-Bethlehem Pay vs. Pennsylvania and U.S. Medians
The Allentown-Bethlehem median is $5,100 below the U.S. median of $79,870.
Compare metro areas across the state on the Pennsylvania aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Allentown-Bethlehem
BLS counts 130 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Allentown-Bethlehem metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.38.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance, LLC
Hangar 7, Lehigh Valley International Airport (KABE)
Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance operates a maintenance, repair and overhaul shop in Hangar 7 at Lehigh Valley International Airport handling scheduled and unscheduled turbine and piston aircraft work.
Source: Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance (scottrichardmx.com)
Air Cargo
Amazon Air
Amazon Air cargo hub, Lehigh Valley International Airport
Amazon Air chose Lehigh Valley International Airport as one of the first five US locations for its cargo air service, with holding spots built for Boeing 767 freighters.
Source: Lehigh Valley International Airport (Wikipedia)
Air Cargo
FedEx Ground
FedEx Ground terminal, Lehigh Valley International Airport
FedEx Ground built its largest terminal in the country as of 2016 on land at Lehigh Valley International Airport.
Source: FedEx Ground on Wikipedia (Wikipedia)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Lehigh Valley International (ABE) recorded 447,899 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Valley International | ABE | Nonhub | 447,899 | 595,001,800 |
Local Context
A Cargo Hub Built by Amazon and FedEx
Lehigh Valley International Airport built its business around freight rather than passenger traffic, and Amazon Air and FedEx Ground are the reason. Amazon chose the airport as one of its first cargo hubs, and FedEx Ground put one of its terminals on airport property.
Together, the two carriers made the airport a bigger cargo operation than a passenger one, landing 595,001,800 pounds of freight in 2024. That volume keeps ramp and cargo-aircraft maintenance work busy here year-round.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Allentown-Bethlehem: Common Questions
What Schools Near Allentown-Bethlehem Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Allentown-Bethlehem?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Employers Near Allentown-Bethlehem?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work in Allentown-Bethlehem?
Do Hours Working 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)
- Commercial Service Airports, CY2024 Enplanements
- Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance, LLC: Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance
- Amazon Air: Lehigh Valley International Airport
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.