Pennsylvania Metro Area Guide

Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Pittsburgh, PA

Compare the 5 aviation maintenance schools near Pittsburgh, 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

PennsylvaniaOhioWest VirginiaVirginia 100 mi 7 mi59 mi60 mi67 mi81 mi Pittsburgh
  • Pittsburgh center
  • School, miles from center
  • 100-mile radius

Schools near Pittsburgh, by straight-line distance

  • Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, Pittsburgh Campus (West Mifflin): 7 miles
  • Mahoning County Career and Technical Center (Canfield): 59 miles
  • Saint Francis University (Johnstown): 60 miles
  • Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, Youngstown Campus (Vienna): 67 miles
  • Pierpont Community & Technical College (Bridgeport): 81 miles

Pittsburgh at a Glance

Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Pittsburgh

5

Within 100 mi, FAA 2026

Aircraft Mechanic Jobs, Pittsburgh Metro

510

BLS OEWS, May 2025

Metro Median Pay

$72,090

BLS OEWS, May 2025

Location Quotient

0.51

BLS OEWS, May 2025

PIT Passenger Boardings

4,862,376

FAA, CY2024

Area covered: Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 38300).

American Airlines runs an Airbus narrow-body heavy-check maintenance base at Pittsburgh International Airport, a legacy from the US Airways era that still anchors aviation maintenance work in the region. The airline added new maintenance technician positions at the base in 2024. Pittsburgh International also landed 570,758,325 pounds of cargo that year.

Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics' Pittsburgh campus, at Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin, is 6.7 miles from downtown and runs an Aviation Maintenance Technology program leading to an associate degree. Beyond that, Mahoning County Career and Technical Center in Canfield, Ohio sits at 59.2 miles, and Saint Francis University in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is 60.1 miles out.

Within Commuting Range

FAA-Approved Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Pittsburgh

5 FAA-approved schools are within 100 miles, nearest first. The closest is 7 miles away, in West Mifflin.

Distances are straight-line miles from the center of Pittsburgh.

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

BLS Wage Data

Aircraft Mechanic Salary in Pittsburgh

Aircraft mechanics in the Pittsburgh metro area earn a median of $72,090 a year ($34.66 an hour), $5,910 below the Pennsylvania median of $78,000.

Aircraft Mechanic Salary, Pittsburgh Metro $72,090median/yr ($34.66/hr)
$45,320 $124,010
Box shows the 25th to 75th percentile. Line spans the 10th to 90th percentile. BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Pittsburgh Pay vs. Pennsylvania and U.S. Medians

The Pittsburgh median is $7,780 below the U.S. median of $79,870.

Median Annual Aircraft Mechanic Wage
Pittsburgh metro $72,090
Pennsylvania statewide $78,000
United States $79,870

BLS OEWS, May 2025

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 Pittsburgh

BLS counts 510 aircraft mechanic jobs in the Pittsburgh metro area as of May 2025, a location quotient of 0.51.

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

  • Airline Maintenance

    American Airlines - Pittsburgh Maintenance Base

    Airbus narrow-body heavy-check maintenance base at Pittsburgh International Airport

    American Airlines operates a heavy-check maintenance base at Pittsburgh International Airport, dating back to the US Airways era, where aviation maintenance technicians service the airline's Airbus A320-family fleet.

    44 total maintenance openings, including 40 AMTs, announced for the Pittsburgh base in 2024

    Source: American invests in the future of aviation maintenance with new jobs, additional work (news.aa.com)

  • Helicopter Operations

    Air Methods - Allegheny County Airport

    Helicopter maintenance facility at Allegheny County Airport, near Pittsburgh

    Air Methods, an air-medical helicopter operator, maintains a maintenance facility at Allegheny County Airport in the Pittsburgh metro area where technicians service its Airbus H135 air-ambulance helicopters.

    Source: Life-Saving Air Service Finds Home at Allegheny County Airport (blueskypit.com)

Airports

Commercial and Cargo Airports in the Area

Pittsburgh International (PIT) recorded 4,862,376 passenger boardings in 2024, the most of the airports listed here.

FAA Commercial Service and All-Cargo Airports, Pittsburgh Area
AirportFAA IDHub ClassPassenger Boardings, 2024All-Cargo Landed Weight, 2024 (lb)
Pittsburgh InternationalPITMedium hub4,862,376570,758,325
Arnold Palmer RegionalLBENonhub76,437
FAA CY2024 enplanement and all-cargo landed weight data.

Local Context

Heavy-Check Work for American's A320 Fleet

American Airlines operates an Airbus narrow-body heavy-check maintenance base at Pittsburgh International Airport, work that traces back to the airport's US Airways era. The airline added new maintenance technician positions at the base in 2024, part of ongoing heavy-check work on its Airbus narrow-body fleet.

Air-Medical Helicopter Maintenance Nearby

Air Methods, an air-medical helicopter operator, maintains a facility at Allegheny County Airport in the Pittsburgh metro, where technicians service its fleet of Airbus H135 air-ambulance helicopters. The facility sits at the same airport as Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics' Pittsburgh campus.

Aviation Maintenance Schools Near Pittsburgh: Common Questions

What Schools Train Aircraft Mechanics Near Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics' Pittsburgh campus at Allegheny County Airport is 6.7 miles from downtown. Mahoning County Career and Technical Center in Canfield, Ohio is 59.2 miles away, and Saint Francis University in Johnstown is 60.1 miles out.

What Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn in Pittsburgh?
The median aircraft mechanic salary in the Pittsburgh metro is $72,090 a year, below the $79,870 national median. Pay ranges from $45,320 up to $124,010 across the metro.

Who Are the Largest Aviation Maintenance Employers in Pittsburgh?
American Airlines operates an Airbus heavy-check maintenance base at Pittsburgh International Airport. Air Methods also maintains an air-medical helicopter facility at Allegheny County Airport in the same metro.

How Far Is Training From Where Mechanics Work in Pittsburgh?
The nearest program, PIA's Pittsburgh campus at Allegheny County Airport, is 6.7 miles from downtown. Additional schools in Ohio and elsewhere in Pennsylvania run from 59.2 to 60.1 miles away.

Do Hours at a Local Employer Count Toward FAA Certification?
Yes. Documented practical experience working on aircraft, such as time at a maintenance employer, can count toward the FAA's experience route to mechanic certification under 14 CFR Part 65, alongside completing an approved program.

More Metro Guides

Aviation Maintenance Schools in Other Metro Areas

Aviation Maintenance Schools in PennsylvaniaEvery FAA-approved aviation maintenance school in Pennsylvania, with locations and program facts.Aircraft Mechanic Salary in PennsylvaniaBLS May 2025 pay and employment for Pennsylvania, 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.

Pennsylvania

Compare Every Aviation Maintenance School in Pennsylvania

See all 5 FAA-approved schools in Pennsylvania side by side.

Pennsylvania Schools