Rockford at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Rockford
4
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Rockford Metro
580
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Illinois Median Pay (Statewide)
$81,680
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
4.78
BLS OEWS, May 2025
RFD Passenger Boardings
132,154
FAA, CY2024
Area covered: Rockford, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 40420).
Aircraft mechanic employment in the Rockford metro runs at 4.78 times the national concentration for the occupation. AAR Corp operates an airframe MRO facility with two 10-story hangars at Chicago Rockford International Airport, capable of servicing large widebody jets. The airport also landed 3,144,024,639 pounds of cargo in 2024.
Rock Valley College sits 4.7 miles from Rockford with a two-year Aviation Maintenance program leading to an Associate in Applied Science degree plus separate airframe and powerplant certificates. Lewis University in Romeoville, 68 miles away, offers a bachelor's degree with Airframe and Powerplant certificate coursework. Milwaukee Area Technical College, 75.2 miles out, and Aviation Institute of Maintenance Chicago, 77.8 miles out, round out the options.
Within Commuting Range
FAA-Approved Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Rockford
4 FAA-approved schools are within 100 miles, nearest first. The closest is 5 miles away.
Distances are straight-line miles from the center of Rockford.
Rock Valley College
Rockford · 5 mi
- In-State Tuition
- $6,795 IPEDS
- Graduation Rate
- 37% IPEDS
Community college. FAA certificate BS9T045R.
Lewis University
Romeoville · 68 mi
- In-State Tuition
- $38,800 IPEDS
- Graduation Rate
- 67% IPEDS
University. FAA certificate AN9T014R.
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Milwaukee, WI · 75 mi
Community college. FAA certificate CF9T058R.
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Chicago
Chicago · 78 mi
Private aviation school. FAA certificate AMRT647K.
See all FAA-approved programs statewide on the aviation maintenance schools in Illinois page.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Illinois (Statewide)
These are statewide BLS figures covering all of Illinois: a median of $81,680 a year ($39.27 an hour) across 3,370 jobs.
Compare metro areas across the state on the Illinois aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Rockford
BLS counts 580 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Rockford metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 4.78.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
AAR Corp
Airframe MRO facility with two 10-story hangars at Chicago Rockford International Airport
AAR Corp operates a 238,000 square foot airframe maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility at Chicago Rockford International Airport that can service up to four Boeing 787s or an Airbus A380 at a time.
AAR's aviation mechanics in Rockford grew from 85 in 2019 to more than 350 in 2023.
Source: Governor Pritzker visits AAR's Rockford, Ill. facility - AAR Corp newsroom (aarcorp.com)
Business Aviation
Emery Air, Inc.
Corporate/business aircraft maintenance shop at Chicago Rockford International Airport
Emery Air provides maintenance on Beechcraft Hawker, Premier, Beechjet, King Air, and regional airliners, plus avionics installations, at Chicago Rockford International Airport.
Source: Aircraft Maintenance - Chicago Rockford International Airport (flyrfd.com)
Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
Chronos Aviation
FAA Part 145 repair station at Chicago Rockford International Airport
Chronos Aviation is an FAA Certified 145 Repair Station at Chicago Rockford International Airport offering heavy maintenance, structural repairs, and engine services for corporate and commercial aircraft.
Source: Chronos Aviation on flyrfd.com (flyrfd.com)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Chicago/Rockford International (RFD) recorded 132,154 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago/Rockford International | RFD | Nonhub | 132,154 | 3,144,024,639 |
Local Context
Widebody Maintenance at AAR Corp's Rockford Complex
AAR Corp operates an airframe maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility with two 10-story hangars at Chicago Rockford International Airport, capable of servicing large widebody jets.
Aircraft mechanic employment in the Rockford metro runs at 4.78 times the national concentration for the occupation, and the airport landed 3,144,024,639 pounds of cargo in 2024. Two smaller shops add to the mix: Emery Air, which maintains Beechcraft Hawker, Premier, Beechjet, King Air, and regional airliner aircraft plus avionics installations, and Chronos Aviation, an FAA-certified repair station doing heavy maintenance, structural repairs, and engine work.
Pay for Avionics Technicians in Rockford
Electronics equipment installers and repairers for commercial and industrial equipment, the occupation covering many avionics roles, earn a median $45,620 a year in the Rockford metro. The middle half earn between $38,630 and $63,040, and the top 10 percent of earners make $67,810 or more. That concentration runs at 2.31 times the national average for the occupation.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Rockford: Common Questions
What Schools Train Aircraft Mechanics Near Rockford?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Rockford?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Rockford?
How Far Is Aviation Maintenance Training From Rockford?
Do Hours at a Local Employer Count Toward FAA Mechanic Certification?
More Metro Guides
Aviation Maintenance Schools 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)
- AAR Corp: Governor Pritzker visits AAR's Rockford, Ill. facility - AAR Corp newsroom
- Emery Air, Inc.: Aircraft Maintenance - Chicago Rockford International Airport
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.