Philadelphia at a Glance
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Philadelphia
6
Within 100 mi, FAA 2026
Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Philadelphia Metro
1,280
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro Median Pay
$84,100
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location Quotient
0.50
BLS OEWS, May 2025
PHL Passenger Boardings
15,102,261
FAA, CY2024
Area covered: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 37980).
Boeing's rotorcraft division builds the Chinook and Osprey military helicopters at its factory in Ridley Park, just outside Philadelphia. That combination shows up in the numbers: aircraft mechanic employment in the metro runs at 0.5 times the national concentration. Philadelphia International, a large-hub airport, added 15,102,261 enplanements in 2024, and mechanics here earn a median $84,100, above the $79,870 national median.
The closest option, Aviation Institute of Maintenance's Philadelphia campus at Northeast Philadelphia Airport, sits 7.7 miles from downtown and trains students in two hangars with turbine and reciprocating engines. Beyond that, the next programs run 81 to 96.9 miles out, including Aviation High School in Long Island City and Aviation Institute of Maintenance's Hasbrouck Heights campus near Teterboro.
Within Commuting Range
FAA-Approved Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Philadelphia
6 FAA-approved schools are within 100 miles, nearest first. The closest is 8 miles away.
Distances are straight-line miles from the center of Philadelphia.
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Philadelphia
Philadelphia · 8 mi
Private aviation school. FAA certificate AR9T018R.
Aviation High School
Long Island City, NY · 81 mi
Career and technical center. FAA certificate HW2T887K.
Aviation Institute of Maintenance Hasbrouck Heights
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ · 81 mi
- Program Length
- 21 months School website
Private aviation school. FAA certificate BV9T048R.
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
Flushing, NY · 84 mi
- In-State Tuition
- $28,910 IPEDS
- Graduation Rate
- 39% IPEDS
University. FAA certificate AA9T001R.
Delaware Technical Community College
Georgetown, DE · 94 mi
- In-State Tuition
- $2,287 IPEDS
- Graduation Rate
- 22% IPEDS
Community college. FAA certificate 7DET592K.
Johnson College
Avoca · 97 mi
Technical college. FAA certificate JOCT651K.
See all FAA-approved programs statewide on the aviation maintenance schools in Pennsylvania page.
BLS Wage Data
Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Philadelphia
Aircraft mechanics in the Philadelphia metro area earn a median of $84,100 a year ($40.43 an hour), $6,100 above the Pennsylvania median of $78,000.
Philadelphia Pay vs. Pennsylvania and U.S. Medians
The Philadelphia median is $4,230 above the U.S. median of $79,870.
Avionics Technician Pay in Philadelphia
BLS counts 80 avionics technicians in the Philadelphia metro area, with a median of $117,470 a year.
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 Philadelphia
BLS counts 1,280 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Philadelphia metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.50.
A location quotient above 1.00 means these jobs make up a larger share of local employment than they do nationally.
Manufacturer
Boeing Rotorcraft Systems
Headquarters and rotorcraft factory in Ridley Park, PA
Boeing's helicopter division builds and supports the CH-47 Chinook and V-22 Osprey programs from its main rotorcraft factory in Ridley Park, a Philadelphia suburb.
Source: Boeing Rotorcraft Systems - Wikipedia (Wikipedia)
Airports
Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area
Philadelphia International (PHL) recorded 15,102,261 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia International | PHL | Large hub | 15,102,261 | 2,270,917,840 |
| New Castle | ILG | Nonhub | 125,071 |
Local Context
Boeing's Rotorcraft Factory in Ridley Park
Boeing's helicopter division, Boeing Rotorcraft Systems, runs its headquarters and main rotorcraft factory in Ridley Park, a Philadelphia suburb. The plant builds and supports the Chinook and Osprey programs, work spanning airframe assembly, structures, and the specialized systems unique to tiltrotor and heavy-lift helicopters.
For mechanics drawn to structures and heavy-lift systems, that kind of work sits alongside the region's certificate and associate-degree programs, from the AIM campus at Northeast Philadelphia Airport to the schools across the New York, New Jersey, and Delaware corridor.
Heavy Cargo Traffic Through PHL
Philadelphia International is classified as a large-hub airport, handling 15,102,261 enplanements in 2024. The same airport landed 2,270,917,840 pounds of cargo that year, volume that keeps ramp, line, and cargo-handling maintenance crews working across day and night shifts.
Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Philadelphia: Common Questions
What Schools Train Aircraft Mechanics Near Philadelphia?
What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Philadelphia?
Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Philadelphia?
How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work in Philadelphia?
Do Hours 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)
- 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)
- Boeing Rotorcraft Systems: Boeing Rotorcraft Systems - Wikipedia
All sources retrieved .
Read how we source and check school, wage, and airport data for every page on this site.