Philadelphia at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Philadelphia
6
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
50.7
Johnson College
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Philadelphia Metro
1,280
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$84,100
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
0.50
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 37980).
Boeing's rotorcraft division builds the Chinook and Osprey military helicopters at its factory in Ridley Park, just outside Philadelphia. That combination shows up in the numbers: aircraft mechanic employment in the metro runs at 0.5 times the national concentration. Philadelphia International, a large-hub airport, added 15,102,261 enplanements in 2024, and mechanics here earn a median $84,100, above the $79,870 national median.
The closest option, Aviation Institute of Maintenance's Philadelphia campus at Northeast Philadelphia Airport, sits 7.7 miles from downtown and trains students in two hangars with turbine and reciprocating engines. Beyond that, the next programs run 81 to 96.9 miles out, including Aviation High School in Long Island City and Aviation Institute of Maintenance's Hasbrouck Heights campus near Teterboro.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Philadelphia
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Philadelphia, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Philadelphia
Highest overall score of the 5 ranked schools, 50.7 out of 100.
Best Outcomes Near Philadelphia
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 2 ranked schools that report one: 39%.
Philadelphia Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Philadelphia
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Philadelphia, 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 Philadelphia.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Philadelphia
#1
Johnson College
Avoca, Pennsylvania 97 miles from Philadelphia #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
-
- Best Outcomes Near Philadelphia
#2
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
Flushing, New York 84 miles from Philadelphia #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 81 miles from Philadelphia #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
Delaware Technical Community College
Georgetown, Delaware 94 miles from Philadelphia #121 nationally
42.2 of 100
Delaware Technical Community College fits Delaware residents who want the state's only FAA-certificated Part 147 program, training toward both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings over five semesters.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate Degree (AAS)
- Length
- 5 semesters
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#5
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 8 miles from Philadelphia #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
| 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 | Delaware Tech | 42.2 | 1.1 | 19.6 | 14 | 5 | 2.5 |
| 5 | AIM Philadelphia | 41.7 | † | † | 0 | 10 | † |
High School Pathways
High School Aviation Maintenance Programs Near Philadelphia
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 Philadelphia
Aircraft mechanics in the Philadelphia metro area earn a median of $84,100 a year ($40.43 an hour), $6,100 above the Pennsylvania median of $78,000.
Philadelphia Pay vs. Pennsylvania and U.S. Medians
The Philadelphia median is $4,230 above the U.S. median of $79,870.
Avionics Technician Pay in Philadelphia
BLS counts 80 avionics technicians in the Philadelphia metro area, with a median of $117,470 a year.
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 Philadelphia
BLS counts 1,280 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Philadelphia metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.50.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Manufacturer
Boeing Rotorcraft Systems
Headquarters and rotorcraft factory in Ridley Park, PA
Boeing's helicopter division builds and supports the CH-47 Chinook and V-22 Osprey programs from its main rotorcraft factory in Ridley Park, a Philadelphia suburb.
Source: Boeing Rotorcraft Systems - Wikipedia (Wikipedia)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Philadelphia International (PHL) recorded 15,102,261 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia International | PHL | Large hub | 15,102,261 | 2,270,917,840 |
| New Castle | ILG | Nonhub | 125,071 |
Local Context
Boeing's Rotorcraft Factory in Ridley Park
Boeing's helicopter division, Boeing Rotorcraft Systems, runs its headquarters and main rotorcraft factory in Ridley Park, a Philadelphia suburb. The plant builds and supports the Chinook and Osprey programs, work spanning airframe assembly, structures, and the specialized systems unique to tiltrotor and heavy-lift helicopters.
For mechanics drawn to structures and heavy-lift systems, that kind of work sits alongside the region's certificate and associate-degree programs, from the AIM campus at Northeast Philadelphia Airport to the schools across the New York, New Jersey, and Delaware corridor.
Heavy Cargo Traffic Through PHL
Philadelphia International is classified as a large-hub airport, handling 15,102,261 enplanements in 2024. The same airport landed 2,270,917,840 pounds of cargo that year, volume that keeps ramp, line, and cargo-handling maintenance crews working across day and night shifts.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Philadelphia: Common Questions
What Schools Train Aircraft Mechanics Near Philadelphia?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Philadelphia?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Philadelphia?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work in Philadelphia?
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)
- Boeing Rotorcraft Systems: Boeing Rotorcraft Systems - Wikipedia
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.