Allentown-Bethlehem at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Allentown-Bethlehem
6
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Allentown-Bethlehem Metro
130
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$74,770
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
0.38
BLS OEWS, May 2025
ABE Passenger Boardings
447,899
FAA, CY2024
Area covered: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 10900).
Lehigh Valley International Airport moves more freight than passengers today, shaped by Amazon Air's cargo operation and a large FedEx Ground terminal on site. The airport landed 595,001,800 pounds of cargo in 2024. An independent repair shop, Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance, works turbine and piston aircraft out of a hangar there. Local aircraft mechanics and service technicians earn a median $74,770 a year, below the $79,870 U.S. median.
Training is a bit of a drive but manageable. Aviation Institute of Maintenance Philadelphia, 43.6 miles away, trains students in two hangars with turbine and reciprocating engines. Johnson College in Avoca is 53 miles out, with an associate degree program built around FAA licensure testing. Aviation Institute of Maintenance's Hasbrouck Heights campus, 75.9 miles away in New Jersey, adds another certificate option minutes from Teterboro.
Within Commuting Range
FAA-Approved Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Allentown-Bethlehem
6 FAA-approved schools are within 100 miles, nearest first. The closest is 44 miles away, in Philadelphia.
Distances are straight-line miles from the center of Allentown-Bethlehem.
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Philadelphia
Philadelphia · 44 mi
Private aviation school. FAA certificate AR9T018R.
Johnson College
Avoca · 53 mi
Technical college. FAA certificate JOCT651K.
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Hasbrouck Heights
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ · 76 mi
- Program Length
- 21 months School website
Private aviation school. FAA certificate BV9T048R.
Aviation High School
Long Island City, NY · 81 mi
Career and technical center. FAA certificate HW2T887K.
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
Flushing, NY · 85 mi
- In-State Tuition
- $28,910 IPEDS
- Graduation Rate
- 39% IPEDS
University. FAA certificate AA9T001R.
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Montoursville · 88 mi
- In-State Tuition
- $15,450 IPEDS
- Graduation Rate
- 53% IPEDS
University. FAA certificate PNZT013K.
See all FAA-approved programs statewide on the aviation maintenance schools in Pennsylvania page.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Allentown-Bethlehem
Aircraft mechanics in the Allentown-Bethlehem metro area earn a median of $74,770 a year ($35.95 an hour), $3,230 below the Pennsylvania median of $78,000.
Allentown-Bethlehem Pay vs. Pennsylvania and U.S. Medians
The Allentown-Bethlehem median is $5,100 below the U.S. median of $79,870.
Compare metro areas across the state on the Pennsylvania aircraft mechanic salary page, or see the national aircraft mechanic salary breakdown.
Local Employers
Where Aircraft Mechanics Work in Allentown-Bethlehem
BLS counts 130 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Allentown-Bethlehem metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.38.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance, LLC
Hangar 7, Lehigh Valley International Airport (KABE)
Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance operates a maintenance, repair and overhaul shop in Hangar 7 at Lehigh Valley International Airport handling scheduled and unscheduled turbine and piston aircraft work.
Source: Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance (scottrichardmx.com)
Air Cargo
Amazon Air
Amazon Air cargo hub, Lehigh Valley International Airport
Amazon Air chose Lehigh Valley International Airport as one of the first five US locations for its cargo air service, with holding spots built for Boeing 767 freighters.
Source: Lehigh Valley International Airport (Wikipedia)
Air Cargo
FedEx Ground
FedEx Ground terminal, Lehigh Valley International Airport
FedEx Ground built its largest terminal in the country as of 2016 on land at Lehigh Valley International Airport.
Source: FedEx Ground on Wikipedia (Wikipedia)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Lehigh Valley International (ABE) recorded 447,899 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Valley International | ABE | Nonhub | 447,899 | 595,001,800 |
Local Context
A Cargo Hub Built by Amazon and FedEx
Lehigh Valley International Airport built its business around freight rather than passenger traffic, and Amazon Air and FedEx Ground are the reason. Amazon chose the airport as one of its first cargo hubs, and FedEx Ground put one of its terminals on airport property.
Together, the two carriers made the airport a bigger cargo operation than a passenger one, landing 595,001,800 pounds of freight in 2024. That volume keeps ramp and cargo-aircraft maintenance work busy here year-round.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Allentown-Bethlehem: Common Questions
What Schools Near Allentown-Bethlehem Train Aircraft Mechanics?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Allentown-Bethlehem?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Employers Near Allentown-Bethlehem?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work in Allentown-Bethlehem?
Do Hours Working at a Local Employer Count Toward FAA 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)
- Commercial Service Airports, CY2024 Enplanements
- Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance, LLC: Scott Richard Aircraft Maintenance
- Amazon Air: Lehigh Valley International Airport
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.