Memphis at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Memphis
5
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
50.7
Northwest Mississippi Community College
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Memphis Metro
2,140
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$92,180
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
3.94
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 32820).
Memphis runs on FedEx. The company's World Hub sits at Memphis International Airport, where FedEx Express keeps its main SuperHub complex, including aircraft maintenance hangars for its cargo fleet. The airport landed 21,215,155,555 pounds of cargo in 2024. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians here earn a median $92,180 a year, well above the $79,870 U.S. median for the job.
Training is close by. Tennessee College of Applied Technology Memphis is 4 miles from downtown, with a program in Aviation Maintenance Technology. Northwest Mississippi Community College in Olive Branch is 13.1 miles away, and Arkansas State University Mid-South in West Memphis is 14.3 miles out, both across the state line.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Memphis
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Memphis, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Memphis
Northwest Mississippi Community College
Highest overall score of the 5 ranked schools, 50.7 out of 100.
Memphis Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Memphis
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Memphis, 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 Memphis.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Memphis
#1
Northwest Mississippi Community College
Olive Branch, Mississippi 13 miles from Memphis #65 nationally
50.7 of 100
This program suits someone near Memphis or the Mississippi hill country who wants both the airframe and powerplant ratings in a single degree, and who can commit to a fall-only start.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Technical Certificate; Associate of Applied Science
- Length
- Four Semesters
- Starts
- August
-
#2
Arkansas Northeastern College
Blytheville, Arkansas 55 miles from Memphis #93 nationally
45.7 of 100
This program fits students near Blytheville who want a public two-year path to combined airframe and powerplant ratings, with strict FAA-mandated attendance built into the schedule.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- A.A.S. Aviation Maintenance; Technical Certificate - Aviation Airframe Maintenance; plus 1 more
-
#3
Tennessee College of Applied Technology Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee 4 miles from Memphis #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)
-
#4
Arkansas State University Mid-South
West Memphis, Arkansas 14 miles from Memphis #117 nationally
42.7 of 100
This program fits students near West Memphis who want a public two-year path to combined airframe and powerplant ratings, completed in four semesters for about $13,091.50 in total cost.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS); Technical Certificate in Airframe Maintenance Technology
- Length
- 4 semesters, 70 to 73 credit hours (16 general education credits plus 54 to 57 aviation credits)
- Cost
- $13,091.50, total program, in-district (range $12,858-$13,325)
-
#5
Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest
Newbern, Tennessee 81 miles from Memphis #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
| Rank | School | Score | Outcomes (30) | Cost (25) | Program Depth (20) | Access (15) | Scale (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwest Mississippi Community College | 50.7 | † | † | 14 | 5 | † |
| 2 | Arkansas Northeastern College | 45.7 | † | † | 14 | 0 | † |
| 3 | TCAT Memphis | 44.7 | † | † | 8 | 5 | † |
| 4 | ASU Mid-South | 42.7 | † | 9.5 | 14 | 0 | † |
| 5 | TCAT Northwest | 36.7 | † | † | 0 | 5 | † |
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in Tennessee ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Memphis
Aircraft mechanics in the Memphis metro area earn a median of $92,180 a year ($44.32 an hour), $11,140 above the Tennessee median of $81,040.
Memphis Pay vs. Tennessee and U.S. Medians
The Memphis median is $12,310 above the U.S. median of $79,870.
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 Memphis
BLS counts 2,140 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Memphis metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 3.94.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Air Cargo
FedEx Express
World Hub (SuperHub) and aircraft maintenance hangars at Memphis International Airport
FedEx Express established its main World Hub at Memphis International Airport in 1973, and the SuperHub complex includes maintenance hangars supporting its cargo aircraft fleet.
Sorting 484,000 shipments per hour and serves 250 daily flights
Source: Memphis International Airport (Wikipedia)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Memphis International (MEM) recorded 2,439,366 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis International | MEM | Small hub | 2,439,366 | 21,215,155,555 |
Local Context
FedEx's SuperHub Anchors Memphis Maintenance Work
FedEx Express keeps its main hub, the World Hub SuperHub complex, at Memphis International Airport, and the complex includes aircraft maintenance hangars supporting its cargo fleet. The airport handled 2,439,366 enplanements in 2024, a modest passenger count set against the scale of cargo moving through: 21,215,155,555 pounds in that same year.
A Metro Built Around Cargo Aviation Jobs
Aircraft mechanic employment in Memphis runs at a location quotient of 3.94, meaning the job is far more common here than in the country as a whole. The metro counts 3.503 mechanic jobs per thousand total jobs, a sign of how much of the local economy centers on keeping cargo aircraft flying.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Memphis: Common Questions
What Schools Near Memphis Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Memphis?
Who Is the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employer in Memphis?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work?
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
- FedEx Express: Memphis International Airport
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.