Nashville at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Nashville
4
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Top Score Nearby
61.5
North Central Institute
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Nashville Metro
1,640
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$68,080
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
1.68
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Area covered: Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 34980).
Embraer selected Nashville as the site of its Regional Airline Support Facility, an aircraft maintenance services operation that keeps regional jets flying for airlines across the country. Nashville International Airport, a large hub, handled 12,058,688 enplanements in 2024. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians in the metro earn a median $68,080 a year.
Training starts close to downtown. Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville is 5.5 miles away, with a program in Aviation Maintenance Technology. Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro is 32.5 miles out, offering an aerospace degree with a maintenance management concentration, and North Central Institute in Clarksville is 47.2 miles from the city.
Top Picks
Top Picks Near Nashville
Among the aviation maintenance schools near Nashville, a pick appears only when one school clearly leads on its figure; ties produce none.
Top Pick Near Nashville
Highest overall score of the 4 ranked schools, 61.5 out of 100.
Nashville Ranking
Top-Ranked Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Nashville
The ranked aviation maintenance schools within 100 miles of Nashville, 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 Nashville.
Score bars: Outcomes (30)Cost (25)Program Depth (20)Access (15)Scale (10)
-
- Top Pick Near Nashville
#1
North Central Institute
Clarksville, Tennessee 47 miles from Nashville #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
Madisonville Community College
Madisonville, Kentucky 90 miles from Nashville #38 nationally
56.7 of 100
This program suits students in western Kentucky who want a single degree track covering airframe, powerplant and an introductory avionics credential, starting when the program launches in Spring 2026.
- Type
- Community College
- Credentials
- Associate in Applied Science (AAS); Airframe and Power Plant Maintenance Technician Diploma; plus 4 more
- Length
- two years if you maintain full-time status
- Starts
- Spring 2026 (new program launch)
- Avionics
- Introduction to Aviation Electronics certificate
-
#3
Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee 6 miles from Nashville #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
-
#4
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 33 miles from Nashville #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 | North Central Institute | 61.5 | 30 | † | 8 | 5 | 6 |
| 2 | Madisonville Community College | 56.7 | † | † | 20 | 5 | † |
| 3 | TCAT Nashville | 49.3 | † | 17.1 | 8 | 5 | † |
| 4 | MTSU | 39.7 | † | † | 8 | 0 | † |
See the full best aviation maintenance schools in Tennessee ranking.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Nashville
Aircraft mechanics in the Nashville metro area earn a median of $68,080 a year ($32.73 an hour), $12,960 below the Tennessee median of $81,040.
Nashville Pay vs. Tennessee and U.S. Medians
The Nashville median is $11,790 below the U.S. median of $79,870.
Avionics Technician Pay in Nashville
BLS counts 90 avionics technicians in the Nashville metro area, with a median of $56,200 a year.
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 Nashville
BLS counts 1,640 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Nashville metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 1.68.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
Embraer Aircraft Maintenance Services (EAMS)
Regional Airline Support Facility, Nashville, TN
Embraer operates a regional aircraft maintenance services site in Nashville that it selected in 2002 as its Regional Airline Support Facility.
Source: Embraer (Wikipedia) (Wikipedia)
Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
Contour Aviation
FAA/EASA/OTAR Part 145 repair station, 808 Blue Angel Way, Smyrna, TN (Nashville metro)
Contour Aviation runs an FAA Part 145 repair station in Smyrna performing regional jet airframe maintenance for Embraer, Bombardier, Hawker, and Cessna Citation aircraft, plus an FBO with maintenance and avionics services at Nashville's John C. Tune Airport.
Over 20,000 annual hours of regional jet airframe maintenance
Source: Contour Aviation maintenance & avionics page (contouraviation.com)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Nashville International (BNA) recorded 12,058,688 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville International | BNA | Large hub | 12,058,688 | 316,765,064 |
Local Context
Embraer's Regional Airline Support Facility
Embraer chose Nashville as the site of its Regional Airline Support Facility, an aircraft maintenance services operation dedicated to keeping regional jets in the air for airlines nationwide. Contour Aviation adds to the same maintenance base, running an FAA repair station in Smyrna that performs regional jet airframe work for Embraer, Bombardier, Hawker, and Cessna Citation aircraft.
A Large Hub Anchors the Regional Jet Trade
Nashville International Airport handled 12,058,688 enplanements in 2024 and moved 316,765,064 pounds of cargo the same year. That traffic, combined with two MRO operations dedicated to regional jets, gives Nashville mechanics steady work without needing to relocate to a bigger hub.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Nashville: Common Questions
What Schools Near Nashville Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Nashville?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Nashville?
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)
- 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)
- Embraer Aircraft Maintenance Services (EAMS): Embraer (Wikipedia)
- Contour Aviation: Contour Aviation maintenance & avionics page
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.