California Metro Area Guide

Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Los Angeles, CA

Compare the 10 aviation maintenance schools near Los Angeles, all within 100 miles, BLS May 2025 pay for local aircraft mechanics, and the airports and aviation employers in the area.

Taylor Rupe, Founder & Editor

Edited by , Founder & Editor

Last updated

California 100 mi 5 mi14 mi32 mi38 mi49 mi51 mi63 mi73 mi Los Angeles
  • Los Angeles center
  • School, miles from center
  • 100-mile radius

Schools near Los Angeles, by straight-line distance

  • West Los Angeles College (Culver City): 2 miles
  • Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Los Angeles Campus (Inglewood): 5 miles
  • North Valley Occupational Center (Van Nuys): 14 miles
  • Mt. San Antonio College (Walnut): 32 miles
  • Orange Coast College (Costa Mesa): 38 miles
  • Chaffey College (Rancho Cucamonga): 49 miles
  • Antelope Valley College (Lancaster): 51 miles
  • Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Inland Empire Campus (Riverside): 58 miles
  • San Bernardino Valley College (San Bernardino): 63 miles
  • Victor Valley College (Victorville): 73 miles

Los Angeles at a Glance

Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Los Angeles

10

Within 100 mi, FAA 2026

Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Los Angeles Metro

5,020

BLS OEWS, May 2025

Metro Median Pay

$83,250

BLS OEWS, May 2025

Location Quotient

0.90

BLS OEWS, May 2025

LAX Passenger Boardings

37,760,834

FAA, CY2024

Area covered: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 31080).

Delta Air Lines built a new maintenance hangar at Los Angeles International Airport, sized for a wide-body jet with room for a narrow-body aircraft alongside it. LAX is a large-hub airport that moved 37,760,834 passengers through in 2024. Local aircraft mechanics and service technicians earn a median $83,250 a year, above the $79,870 U.S. median.

Training options sit close together. West Los Angeles College, in Culver City, is 1.7 miles away, with a program built through a partnership with American Airlines. Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology's Los Angeles campus, in Inglewood, is 4.8 miles out, with hangar and lab space for airframe and powerplant coursework. North Valley Occupational Center, in Van Nuys, is 13.9 miles away and tuition-free.

Within Commuting Range

FAA-Approved Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Los Angeles

10 FAA-approved schools are within 100 miles, nearest first. The closest is 2 miles away, in Culver City.

Distances are straight-line miles from the center of Los Angeles.

West Los Angeles College

Culver City · 2 mi

  • Airframe
  • Powerplant
In-State Tuition
$1,196 IPEDS
Graduation Rate
28% IPEDS
Program Length
23 months School website

Community college. FAA certificate GH3T527L.

Official website

Chaffey College

Rancho Cucamonga · 49 mi

  • Airframe
  • Powerplant
In-State Tuition
$1,104 IPEDS
Graduation Rate
36% IPEDS

Community college. FAA certificate CK9T063R.

Official website

See all FAA-approved programs statewide on the aviation maintenance schools in California page.

BLS Wage Data

Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Los Angeles

Aircraft mechanics in the Los Angeles metro area earn a median of $83,250 a year ($40.03 an hour), $2,850 below the California median of $86,100.

Aircraft Mechanic Salary, Los Angeles Metro $83,250median/yr ($40.03/hr)
$50,870 $123,120
Box shows the 25th to 75th percentile. Line spans the 10th to 90th percentile. BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Los Angeles Pay vs. California and U.S. Medians

The Los Angeles median is $3,380 above the U.S. median of $79,870.

Median Annual Aircraft Mechanic Wage
Los Angeles metro $83,250
California statewide $86,100
United States $79,870

BLS OEWS, May 2025

Avionics Technician Pay in Los Angeles

BLS counts 500 avionics technicians in the Los Angeles metro area, with a median of $98,020 a year.

Avionics Technicians, Los Angeles Metro $98,020median/yr ($47.13/hr)
$55,720 $128,430
Box shows the 25th to 75th percentile. Line spans the 10th to 90th percentile. BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Compare metro areas across the state on the California aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.

Local Employers

Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Los Angeles

BLS counts 5,020 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Los Angeles metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.90.

A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.

  • Airline Maintenance

    Delta Air Lines

    Maintenance hangar at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

    Delta built a new maintenance hangar at LAX sized to accommodate a Boeing 777-300 with a hardstand position for an Airbus A320.

    Source: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Delta Air Lines Maintenance Hangar - Skanska (skanska.com)

  • Manufacturer

    Northrop Grumman

    Air Force Plant 42 site, Palmdale, CA (Los Angeles County)

    Northrop Grumman operates production and testing operations for military aircraft at the Air Force Plant 42 site in Palmdale.

    Source: Northrop Grumman in Palmdale, California (northropgrumman.com)

  • Business Aviation

    West Coast Aviation Services

    Maintenance facility at Long Beach Airport, with a satellite facility in Santa Ana

    West Coast Aviation Services runs a 24/7 maintenance, repair and overhaul facility for business and general aviation aircraft based in Long Beach.

    30,000-square-foot facility

    Source: Aircraft Maintenance - West Coast Aviation Services (wcas.aero)

Airports

Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area

Los Angeles International (LAX) recorded 37,760,834 passenger boardings in 2024, the most of the airports listed here.

FAA Commercial Service and All-Cargo Airports, Los Angeles Area
AirportFAA IDHub ClassPassenger Boardings, 2024All-Cargo Landed Weight, 2024 (lb)
Los Angeles InternationalLAXLarge hub37,760,8348,348,397,632
John Wayne/Orange CountySNAMedium hub5,370,273120,342,900
Bob HopeBURMedium hub3,383,237
Long Beach (Daugherty Field)LGBSmall hub2,031,810104,889,000
Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne MunicipalHHR6,417
FAA CY2024 enplanement and all-cargo landed weight data.

Local Context

Delta Builds a New Hangar at LAX

Delta Air Lines built a new maintenance hangar at Los Angeles International Airport, sized to hold a wide-body jet with a hardstand position for a narrow-body aircraft alongside it. That kind of hangar capacity keeps airframe and engine work flowing at one of the country's busiest airports, alongside the general aviation and business jet work spread across the metro's other fields.

Aircraft Manufacturing Work in Palmdale

Northrop Grumman runs production and testing operations for military aircraft at an Air Force site in Palmdale, part of the Los Angeles County job market. That's manufacturing work, not maintenance, but it draws on many of the same airframe and systems skills mechanics train for.

Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Los Angeles: Common Questions

What Schools Near Los Angeles Train Aircraft Mechanics?
West Los Angeles College is 1.7 miles from downtown, Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology's Los Angeles campus is 4.8 miles away, and North Valley Occupational Center is 13.9 miles out. All three lead toward FAA Airframe and Powerplant certification.

What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Los Angeles?
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians in the Los Angeles metro earn a median $83,250 a year, with the middle half earning between $65,780 and $104,160. That's above the $79,870 U.S. median for the occupation.

Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Los Angeles?
Delta Air Lines runs a maintenance hangar at LAX. Northrop Grumman operates aircraft production and testing at an Air Force site in Palmdale, and West Coast Aviation Services runs a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Long Beach Airport.

How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work in Los Angeles?
West Los Angeles College is 1.7 miles from downtown, and Spartan College's Los Angeles campus is 4.8 miles out. North Valley Occupational Center, in Van Nuys, is 13.9 miles away, a manageable commute across the metro.

Do Hours at a Local Employer Count Toward FAA Certification?
Yes. Documented practical experience under 14 CFR Part 65 counts toward the FAA's mechanic certification requirements, whether it's earned at an airline maintenance hangar, a manufacturer, or another aviation employer in the Los Angeles area.

More Metro Guides

Aviation Maintenance Schools in Other Metro Areas

Aviation Maintenance Schools in CaliforniaEvery FAA-approved aviation maintenance school in California, with locations and program facts.Aircraft Mechanic Salary in CaliforniaBLS May 2025 pay and employment for California, by metro area.National Mechanic Pay DataBLS median and percentile pay, with the states and industries that pay most.Steps to the FAA Mechanic CertificateEligibility, training routes, and the knowledge, oral, and practical tests.What Aviation Maintenance School CostsCompare published program prices, in-state and out-of-state rates, and FAA test fees.Mechanic Job MarketOpenings, projected growth, and the states and metros with the most jobs.

Sources for School and Pay Data

All sources retrieved .

Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.

California

Compare Every Aviation Maintenance School in California

See all 20 FAA-approved schools in California side by side.

California Schools