Key Figures for Aviation Maintenance Schools in Tennessee
Aviation Maintenance Schools in Tennessee
8
FAA AV-Info, Sep 2026
Ranked in This State
8
Methodology 2.1
Top Score in the State
61.5
North Central Institute
Median Aircraft Mechanic Pay
$81,040
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Aircraft Mechanics Employed
4,670
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Tennessee College of Applied Technology operates 4 campuses across the state, and Nashville's aircraft mechanics work at a location quotient of 1.68, above the national concentration for the occupation.
Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro offers a Bachelor of Science, while North Central Institute in Clarksville teaches a private certificate program that accepts GI Bill benefits. The 4 Tennessee College of Applied Technology campuses, in Memphis, Morristown, Nashville, and Newbern, each award a diploma, and Northeast State and Pellissippi State Community Colleges round out the state's 8 schools.
Aircraft mechanics in Tennessee earn a median of $81,040 a year, above the $79,870 national median, and the state ranks 20th among 50 states for that pay. Growth is projected at 10.5% through 2034, adding 650 positions, with about 560 openings expected each year.
Top Picks
Top Picks in Tennessee
Among the aviation maintenance schools in Tennessee, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties and one-school lists produce none.
Top Pick in Tennessee
Best Outcomes in Tennessee
Highest overall score of the 8 ranked schools, 61.5 out of 100.
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 2 ranked schools that report one: 100%.
Tennessee Ranking
Top-Ranked Aircraft Mechanic Schools in Tennessee
The 8 ranked aviation maintenance schools in Tennessee, 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 Tennessee
- Best Outcomes in Tennessee
#1
North Central Institute
Clarksville, Tennessee #25 nationally
61.5 of 100
This program suits students in the Clarksville, Tennessee area who want a private 17-month path to a combined Airframe and Powerplant certificate, with GI Bill benefits available and a 100% IPEDS graduation rate.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- FAA Airframe & Powerplant Certificate
- Length
- 17 months; 56 Semester Hours
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#2
Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee #76 nationally
49.3 of 100
This 18-month, full-time diploma suits Nashville-area students aiming for both airframe and powerplant certification eligibility.
- Type
- Technical College
- Credentials
- Diploma
- Length
- 18 months (1,944 clock hours)
- Cost
- $7,705, total program (tuition/fees)
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#3
Pellissippi State Community College
Maryville, Tennessee #100 nationally
45.7 of 100
This program fits someone near Knoxville who wants a combined airframe and powerplant associate degree from a program built through a recent local partnership rather than a decades-old shop.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- AAS
-
#4
Tennessee College of Applied Technology Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee #110 nationally
44.7 of 100
This program fits Memphis-area students who want a diploma covering both airframe and powerplant work, with day or night scheduling options at one of four Tennessee College of Applied Technology aviation campuses.
- Type
- Technical College
- Credentials
- Diploma
- Length
- 1,296 hours (Airframe); 1,944 hours (Power Plant)
- Schedule
- day or night (full-time day classes; part-time night classes)
-
#5
Tennessee College of Applied Technology Morristown
Morristown, Tennessee #113 nationally
44.3 of 100
For students near Knoxville, this 20-month diploma program covers both the airframe and powerplant ratings on a full-time day schedule.
- Type
- Technical College
- Credentials
- Diploma
- Length
- 20 months (full-time)
- Cost
- $7,705, total program (tuition/fees)
-
#6
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee #148 nationally
39.7 of 100
This program fits students who want a four-year bachelor's degree route into aviation maintenance rather than a certificate or diploma, with FAA authorization earned through a qualification exam.
- Type
- University
- Credentials
- BS
-
#7
Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest
Newbern, Tennessee #175 nationally
36.7 of 100
This program fits West Tennessee students near Newbern who want a new, FAA-approved path toward aircraft mechanic certification at one of four Tennessee College of Applied Technology aviation campuses.
- Type
- Technical College
- Starts
- Fall 2026
-
#8
Northeast State Community College
Blountville, Tennessee #186 nationally
31.8 of 100
This program suits Northeast Tennessee students who want a public associate degree or certificate in Aviation Technology, training in avionics, aircraft structures, and mechanical systems at Northeast State's Aviation Center in Blountville.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- AAS (also offers a certificate option per catalog)
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central Institute | 61.5 | 30 | † | 8 | 5 | 6 |
| 2 | TCAT Nashville | 49.3 | † | 17.1 | 8 | 5 | † |
| 3 | Pellissippi State Community College | 45.7 | † | † | 14 | 0 | † |
| 4 | TCAT Memphis | 44.7 | † | † | 8 | 5 | † |
| 5 | TCAT Morristown | 44.3 | † | 17.1 | 8 | 0 | † |
| 6 | MTSU | 39.7 | † | † | 8 | 0 | † |
| 7 | TCAT Northwest | 36.7 | † | † | 0 | 5 | † |
| 8 | Northeast State Community College | 31.8 | 9.1 | † | 6 | 0 | 4.2 |
Across the State Line
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near the Tennessee Border
1 FAA-approved school in neighboring states within 100 miles of Nashville, nearest first.
By Metro Area
Aviation Maintenance School Rankings by Tennessee Metro Area
Each metro ranking scores every school within commuting range and adds the local airports, employers, and BLS pay for aircraft mechanics.
| Top-Ranked School | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Aviation maintenance schools near Nashville | 4 | North Central Institute | $68,080 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Memphis | 5 | Northwest Mississippi Community College | $92,180 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Knoxville | 4 | Somerset Community College | $67,300 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Chattanooga | 6 | AIM Atlanta |
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Tennessee
BLS reports a median annual wage of $81,040 ($38.96 an hour) for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in Tennessee, where 4,670 people held the job in May 2025. That median ranks 20th of the 50 states with published data; the national median is $79,870.
Projections Central expects statewide employment in the occupation to move from 6,190 in 2024 to 6,840 in 2034 (+10.5%), with about 560 openings a year.
Avionics Technician Pay in Tennessee
See the full Tennessee aircraft mechanic salary breakdown by metro area
Local Context
Four Campuses, One Applied Technology Network
Tennessee College of Applied Technology runs 4 separate campuses, in Memphis, Morristown, Nashville, and Newbern, each awarding its own diploma rather than routing students through one central location.
Memphis's aircraft mechanics earn a median of $92,180 a year, well above Nashville's $68,080, even though Nashville's metro population, 2,150,553, is larger than Memphis's 1,339,345.
A Bachelor's Degree Option in Murfreesboro
Middle Tennessee State University offers a Bachelor of Science in aviation maintenance, one of the few four-year options among Tennessee's 8 schools, most of which lead to a diploma, certificate, or associate degree instead.
Methodology
How We Rank Aviation Maintenance Schools in Tennessee
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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee
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 Tennessee?
Which Tennessee School Accepts GI Bill Benefits?
Which Tennessee School Offers a Bachelor's Degree in Aviation Maintenance?
How Does Aircraft Mechanic Pay in Tennessee Compare to the National Median?
How Long Is Aviation Maintenance School in Tennessee?
How Much Does Aviation Maintenance School Cost in Tennessee?
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.