Aviation Maintenance and Aircraft Mechanic Degree Programs

What an A&P certificate is

Airframe and Powerplant, or A&P, is the FAA certificate that lets you legally inspect, maintain, and sign off repairs on civil aircraft in the United States. Airlines, repair stations, and private operators require it before they let you touch an aircraft beyond basic supervised tasks. The certificate covers two ratings, airframe and powerplant, and most mechanics hold both.

You earn an A&P certificate one of two ways: graduate from an FAA-certificated Aviation Maintenance Technician School operating under 14 CFR Part 147 , or accumulate documented hands-on maintenance experience outside a formal school. Either path leads to the same set of FAA exams, a written test, an oral exam, and a hands-on practical test, administered by an FAA-designated examiner.

Choosing a Part 147 school over the experience route

Most people entering the field today go through a Part 147 school rather than the informal experience route, since a structured program gives you a set curriculum, hands-on lab time on real aircraft components, and a clear finish line tied to your exam eligibility. The Aviation Technician Education Council, the trade association representing these schools, maintains a program locator so you can search for a Part 147 school near you and compare program length and cost.

Part 147 programs run at community colleges, standalone aviation maintenance schools, and some four-year universities that fold the A&P curriculum into a bachelor's degree in aviation maintenance technology. A standalone Part 147 certificate program gets you exam-eligible faster and cheaper. A four-year degree option takes longer and costs more but adds general education and often supervisory or management coursework on top of the same core A&P curriculum, which matters if you eventually want to move into a lead mechanic or management role.

Certificate program versus full degree: what changes

• A standalone Part 147 certificate focuses only on the coursework needed for A&P exam eligibility.

• A two-year associate degree in aviation maintenance adds general education credits to the same core technical training.

• A four-year bachelor's degree adds business, safety management, or aviation administration coursework on top of the A&P curriculum, useful if you want a path toward management later.

• All three paths lead to the same FAA written, oral, and practical exams. A bachelor's degree does not replace the exams or grant the certificate on its own.

Pick based on your career goal, not prestige. If you want to work the flight line as a mechanic as fast as possible, a standalone certificate or associate program gets you there. If you eventually want to run a maintenance department or move into an FAA inspector or safety role, the extra coursework in a four-year program builds toward that.

Pay and demand

Aircraft mechanics and service technicians earned a median annual wage of $79,870 as of 2025, according to O*NET occupational data sourced from federal labor statistics. The field is projected to grow at an average pace, 3% to 4%, from 2024 to 2034, with about 11,300 job openings projected over that period as older mechanics retire and airlines expand fleets.

Most employers expect at least a postsecondary certificate rather than a high school diploma alone. Occupational survey data shows roughly two thirds of respondents in the field cite a postsecondary certificate as the typical requirement, with a smaller share citing an associate degree, which lines up with the standard Part 147 certificate or associate degree path most mechanics take.

What the work actually involves

Day to day, A&P mechanics inspect aircraft on a fixed schedule, troubleshoot mechanical and electrical issues, replace worn parts, and complete detailed maintenance logs the FAA requires for every aircraft in commercial service. Specializing further, some mechanics move into avionics, which covers aircraft electronics and navigation systems and often requires additional training beyond the base A&P certificate.

Shift work is common, especially at airlines running overnight maintenance windows between flights, and mechanics based at repair stations or with the military sometimes travel for extended assignments. Physical stamina matters since the job involves standing, climbing, and working in tight aircraft spaces for full shifts.

Tools, exam fees, and ongoing costs

Beyond tuition, budget for a personal tool set, since most Part 147 schools and employers expect you to bring your own hand tools rather than borrow from the shop. FAA written, oral, and practical exam fees add on top of your tuition, and the exact amount depends on your school and your designated examiner, so confirm current fees directly with your program before you enroll.

Once certified, keeping your A&P current does not require periodic renewal exams the way some other licenses do, but staying current on the specific aircraft types and systems you work on often means employer-paid recurrent training, which airlines and repair stations typically build into the job itself.

Getting started

• Search the ATEC program locator for FAA-certificated Part 147 schools near you.

• Compare standalone certificate, associate degree, and bachelor's degree options based on your career goal and budget.

• Confirm the school's graduate pass rate on FAA written, oral, and practical exams before enrolling.

• Ask about job placement support and airline or repair station partnerships tied to the program.

• Budget for exam fees and required tools separately from tuition.