Chattanooga at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Chattanooga
6
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
61.3
AIM Atlanta
Tennessee Median Pay (Statewide)
$81,040
BLS OEWS, May 2025
CHA Passenger Boardings
557,741
FAA, CY2024
Area covered: Chattanooga, TN-GA Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 16860).
Erlanger's LIFE FORCE air medical helicopter program keeps aviation mechanics on staff through its aircraft services partner, Med-Trans Corporation, supporting flights out of Chattanooga. The metro's population reached 588,050 in 2024, and Lovell Field, its small-hub airport, handled 557,741 enplanements the same year.
Training means a drive out of town. Georgia Northwestern Technical College in Rome is 49.5 miles away. Snead State Community College in Albertville is 80.6 miles out, and Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro is 82.8 miles away.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Chattanooga
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Chattanooga, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Chattanooga
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Atlanta
Highest overall score of the 6 ranked schools, 61.3 out of 100.
Best Outcomes Near Chattanooga
Highest IPEDS graduation rate of the 3 ranked schools that report one: 49%.
Chattanooga Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Chattanooga
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Chattanooga, 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 Chattanooga.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Chattanooga
#1
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Atlanta
Duluth, Georgia 99 miles from Chattanooga #27 nationally
61.3 of 100
This program fits students near metro Atlanta who want a two-year path to an associate degree alongside airframe and powerplant training, on a campus that draws visiting employers like Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
- Type
- Private Aviation School
- Credentials
- Certificate and Associate of Occupational Science degree (also offers an Aviation Maintenance Technical Engineer Certificate)
- Length
- A&P certification training and an associate degree in less than two years
- GI Bill
- Approved
- Schedule
- Day and evening classes
- Starts
- September class start referenced (application fee waiver for 9/27 apply-by deadline)
-
#2
Chattahoochee Technical College
Dallas, Georgia 84 miles from Chattanooga #37 nationally
56.7 of 100
This program fits metro Atlanta students who want airframe, powerplant, and avionics credentials in one place, with a Lockheed Martin hiring partnership and support for veteran students.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate degree (program code AM43); also offers Aircraft Structural Technology Diploma, Aviation Maintenance Technology Diploma, Aircraft Upholstery and Trim Technical Certificate, Avionics Bench Technician Technical Certificate
- Length
- 96 semester credit hours
- Starts
- Fall 2025; Spring 2026; Fall 2026
- Avionics
- Avionics Bench Technician technical certificate
-
- Best Outcomes Near Chattanooga
#3
Snead State Community College
Albertville, Alabama 81 miles from Chattanooga #42 nationally
55.6 of 100
Snead State Community College fits students who want a public two-year path to separate airframe and powerplant degrees, with a dual-enrollment option at Birmingham's Southern Museum of Flight.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- AAS in Airframe Technology; AAS in Power Plant Technology; plus 2 more
- Length
- Two (2) Years and One (1) Semester
-
#4
Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Rome, Georgia 50 miles from Chattanooga #43 nationally
55.5 of 100
This program fits someone who wants multiple credential levels, from technical certificate to associate degree, in both Airframe and Powerplant at a Georgia technical college.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Applied Science degree, Diploma, and Technical Certificates
- GI Bill
- Approved
-
#5
Pellissippi State Community College
Maryville, Tennessee 84 miles from Chattanooga #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
-
#6
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 83 miles from Chattanooga #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
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AIM Atlanta | 61.3 | 21.7 | † | 6 | 15 | 6.1 |
| 2 | Chattahoochee Technical College | 56.7 | † | † | 20 | 5 | † |
| 3 | Snead State Community College | 55.6 | 23.8 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 3.8 |
| 4 | Georgia Northwestern Technical College | 55.5 | 20.2 | † | 14 | 5 | 3.8 |
| 5 | Pellissippi State Community College | 45.7 | † | † | 14 | 0 | † |
| 6 | MTSU | 39.7 | † | † | 8 | 0 | † |
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in Tennessee ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Tennessee (Statewide)
These are statewide BLS figures covering all of Tennessee: a median of $81,040 a year ($38.96 an hour) across 4,670 jobs.
Compare metro areas across the state on the Tennessee aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Chattanooga
Helicopter Operations
LIFE FORCE (Erlanger Health System) / Med-Trans Corporation
Air medical helicopter base in Chattanooga, TN
Erlanger's LIFE FORCE air medical helicopter program in Chattanooga is staffed with aviation mechanics provided through its aircraft services partner, Med-Trans Corporation.
Source: LIFE FORCE Air Medical Program (erlanger.org)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Lovell Field (CHA) recorded 557,741 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovell Field | CHA | Small hub | 557,741 | 54,727,406 |
Local Context
An Air Medical Helicopter Base in Chattanooga
Erlanger Health System's LIFE FORCE program keeps an air medical helicopter fleet flying out of Chattanooga, and it staffs aviation mechanics through its aircraft services partner, Med-Trans Corporation.
That kind of always-on helicopter maintenance work sits alongside the general aviation traffic moving through Lovell Field.
A Longer Drive to Training
The nearest FAA-approved program to Chattanooga is Georgia Northwestern Technical College in Rome, 49.5 miles away. Two more options, Snead State Community College in Albertville and Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, sit at 80.6 and 82.8 miles. Reaching a program from Chattanooga means planning for a longer commute.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Chattanooga: Common Questions
What Schools Near Chattanooga Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Is the Major Aviation Maintenance Employer in Chattanooga?
How Far Is Training From Chattanooga?
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)
- Commercial Service Airports, CY2024 Enplanements
- Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- LIFE FORCE (Erlanger Health System) / Med-Trans Corporation: LIFE FORCE Air Medical Program
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.