Key Figures for Aviation Maintenance Training
Aviation Maintenance Schools in California
20
FAA AV-Info, Sep 2026
Cities With a School
20
FAA AV-Info, Sep 2026
Median Aircraft Mechanic Pay
$86,100
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Aircraft Mechanics Employed
12,590
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected Job Change, 2024-2034
+12.8%
Projections Central
Aircraft mechanic job growth in California is projected at 12.8% through 2034, above the national rate of 4%, inside a state that already runs 20 FAA Part 147 schools, one of the largest counts anywhere.
Bay Area campuses cluster around College of Alameda and Solano Community College in Vacaville, while the Los Angeles basin and Inland Empire host the largest concentration, including West Los Angeles College, Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, and Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut. San Diego Miramar College serves the south, and California Aeronautical University in Bakersfield, a private school, accepts GI Bill benefits for its Central Valley program.
Aircraft mechanics in California earn a median of $86,100 a year, above the $79,870 national median, and the state ranks 10th among 50 states for that pay. Growth is projected at 12.8% through 2034, adding 1,600 positions, with about 1,160 openings expected each year.
School Directory
Aviation Maintenance Schools in California by City
All 20 FAA-approved schools, sorted by city. Distances are measured from Los Angeles. IPEDS tuition and graduation rates cover the whole institution, not only the aviation program. Listings follow our sourcing methodology.
- Certificate, Associate
- Two years full-time, or part-time option, delivered in 18-week blocks
- $1,104 a year in-state tuition
- 33% graduation rate
- Diploma, Associate
- Diploma: 17 months; Associate of Science Degree: 22 months
- GI Bill accepted
- $15,030 a year in-state tuition
- 30% graduation rate
- Certificate, Associate
- Certificate of Achievement: less than 2 years; Associate Degree: under 4 years
- $46 per unit, in-state (CA resident)
- $1,288 a year in-state tuition
- 48% graduation rate
- Certificate, Associate, Bachelor's
- twenty-three-month continuing program
- $1,196 a year in-state tuition
- 28% graduation rate
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Fremont
Private aviation school in Fremont
- Certificate
- Certificate
- as few as 14 months
5 mi
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Los Angeles Campus
Private aviation school in Inglewood
- Airframe
- Powerplant
- Diploma, Associate
- Diploma: 18 Months; Associate of Occupational Studies: 22 months
- 64% graduation rate
- Associate
- $1,104 a year in-state tuition
- 34% graduation rate
- Certificate, Associate
- Four semesters (2 years)
- $3,220 total program, California resident (as of Fall 2022)
- 33% graduation rate
- Certificate, Associate
- 2-year curriculum
- $1,104 a year in-state tuition
- 36% graduation rate
- Certificate, Associate
- 24 months
- GI Bill accepted
- $9,617 total program
- $1,332 a year in-state tuition
- 42% graduation rate
58 mi
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Inland Empire Campus
Private aviation school in Riverside
- Airframe
- Powerplant
- Diploma
- 15 Months
- 64% graduation rate
- Certificate, Associate
- minimum 60 units (Associate of Science degree)
- $1,104 a year in-state tuition
- 28% graduation rate
- Certificate, Associate
- approximately 1900 hours, 5 semesters, 78 units, 2.5 years to complete
- $46 per unit, California resident (78 units for the Certificate; non-resident $304 per unit; tools and equipment not included)
- $1,104 a year in-state tuition
- 48% graduation rate
- Certificate, Associate
- $1,444 a year in-state tuition
- 42% graduation rate
- Certificate, Associate
- $1,104 a year in-state tuition
- 36% graduation rate
- Certificate
- Associate
- $3,772 total program (8 required AVA courses, 82 units at $46/unit California resident rate)
- $1,402 a year in-state tuition
- 62% graduation rate
- Certificate, Associate
- two years
- $2,760 total program, in-state (A.S. degree, 60 units)
- $1,288 a year in-state tuition
- 45% graduation rate
Or browse the national list of FAA-approved aircraft mechanic schools.
Compare Programs
California Aviation Maintenance Programs Side by Side
Side-by-side program facts from each school's own pages, with IPEDS graduation rates where the school reports them.
| School | City | Type | Program Length | FAA Ratings | Credential | Published Cost | IPEDS Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Alameda | Alameda | Community College | Both | Certificate, Associate | 33% | ||
| California Aeronautical University | Bakersfield | Private Aviation School | Both | Diploma, Associate | 30% | ||
| Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa | Community College | Both | Certificate, Associate | $46, per unit, in-state (CA resident) | 48% | |
| West Los Angeles College | Culver City | Community College | 23 months | Both | Certificate, Associate, Bachelor's | 28% | |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance Fremont | Fremont | Private Aviation School | Certificate | ||||
| San Joaquin Valley College | Fresno | Technical College | as few as 14 months | Both | Certificate | ||
| Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Los Angeles Campus | Inglewood | Private Aviation School | Both | Diploma, Associate | 64% | ||
| Antelope Valley College | Lancaster | Community College | Associate | 34% | |||
| Sacramento City College | McClellan | Community College | Four semesters (2 years) | Both | Certificate, Associate | $3,220, total program, California resident (as of Fall 2022) | 33% |
| Chaffey College | Rancho Cucamonga | Community College | 2-year curriculum | Both | Certificate, Associate | 36% | |
| Reedley College | Reedley | Community College | 24 months | Both | Certificate, Associate | $9,617, total program | 42% |
| Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Inland Empire Campus | Riverside | Private Aviation School | 15 months | Both | Diploma | 64% | |
| San Bernardino Valley College | San Bernardino | Community College | Both | Certificate, Associate | 28% | ||
| San Diego Miramar College | San Diego | Community College | Both | Certificate, Associate | $46, per unit, California resident (78 units for the Certificate; non-resident $304 per unit; tools and equipment not included) | 48% | |
| Cuesta College | San Luis Obispo | Community College | Both | $2,208, total tuition ($46/unit x 48 units, $552 per semester) | |||
| Gavilan College | San Martin | Community College | Both | Certificate, Associate | 42% | ||
| Solano Community College | Vacaville | Community College | Both | Certificate, Associate | 36% | ||
| North Valley Occupational Center | Van Nuys | Technical College | Both | Certificate | |||
| Victor Valley College | Victorville | Community College | Both | Associate | $3,772, total program (8 required AVA courses, 82 units at $46/unit California resident rate) | 62% | |
| Mt. San Antonio College | Walnut | Community College | two years | Certificate, Associate | $2,760, total program, in-state (A.S. degree, 60 units) | 45% |
By Metro Area
Metro Area Guides: Schools, Airports, and Pay
Each metro guide lists every school within commuting range, the local airports, and BLS pay for aircraft mechanics in that metro.
| Aviation maintenance schools near Los Angeles | 10 | $83,250 |
|---|---|---|
| Aviation maintenance schools near Riverside-San Bernardino | 11 | $81,440 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near San Francisco-Oakland | 4 | $93,400 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near San Diego | 6 | $87,560 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Sacramento | 4 | $82,420 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near San Jose | 5 | $98,760 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Fresno | 2 | $71,240 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Bakersfield | 5 | $91,750 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Oxnard-Ventura | 8 | $79,590 |
| Aviation maintenance schools near Stockton | 5 | $75,250 |
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in California
BLS reports a median annual wage of $86,100 ($41.40 an hour) for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in California, where 12,590 people held the job in May 2025. That median ranks 10th of the 50 states with published data; the national median is $79,870.
Projections Central expects statewide employment in the occupation to move from 12,500 in 2024 to 14,100 in 2034 (+12.8%), with about 1,160 openings a year.
Avionics Technician Pay in California
See the full California aircraft mechanic salary breakdown by metro area
Local Context
Why San Jose Pays More Than Los Angeles for Aircraft Mechanics
San Jose's aircraft mechanics earn a median of $98,760 a year, the highest figure among California's metros in this data, even though its population, 1,995,484, is a fraction of Los Angeles's 12,927,614. Los Angeles pays a median of $83,250 instead.
Solano Community College trains in the Bay Area, near that San Jose pay premium, while Chaffey College, Mt. San Antonio College, and several other schools cluster in the Los Angeles basin and Inland Empire, closer to the state's largest population center.
A Dense Cluster in the Los Angeles Basin and Inland Empire
West Los Angeles College, Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino Valley College, Victor Valley College in Victorville, Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, and Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut all sit within the greater Los Angeles and Inland Empire region, giving students there more nearby choices than anywhere else in the state.
Central Valley and Bay Area Options
San Joaquin Valley College in Fresno, Sacramento City College, and Reedley College serve the Central Valley, while California Aeronautical University in Bakersfield runs a private program that accepts GI Bill benefits. College of Alameda, Gavilan College in San Martin, and Solano Community College in Vacaville cover the Bay Area instead.
FAA Certification
Getting Your A&P License in California
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 California?
How Long Is Aviation Maintenance School in California?
How Does Aircraft Mechanic Pay in California Compare to the National Median?
Which California Metro Pays Aircraft Mechanics the Most?
Is the Aircraft Mechanic License a State or Federal Credential?
How Much Does Aviation Maintenance School Cost in California?
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.