Pennsylvania Aviation Mechanic Schools 2026-27: Costs & Pass Rates

Updated October 4, 2026. Verified against 2026-27 school catalogs, tuition schedules, ACCSC disclosures and FAA pass-rate data. How we verify.

Pennsylvania has five FAA-certificated A&P mechanic programs open to adults: Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics near Pittsburgh, Penn College in Williamsport, Johnson College at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport, Saint Francis University in Johnstown and Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Philadelphia. Unlike most states, Pennsylvania has no community college A&P program, so every option costs roughly $45,000–$55,000 before aid. State grants of up to $6,000 a year help.

Key Takeaways

Best pass rate: Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, 92.1% on 774 FAA written tests, with 87% graduation and 95% employment for its latest reported class.
Lowest published price: Johnson College’s two-year associate degree, $45,800 in tuition and fees for 2026-27; Penn College’s certificate is similar for Pennsylvania residents.
Soonest start and evening classes: AIM Philadelphia, with frequent starts and day or evening schedules. PIA starts three times a year.
Watch for waitlists: Penn College’s certificate and associate degree are waitlisted for spring and fall 2027; Johnson College takes 16 students a year.
Aid: the PA State Grant (up to $6,000 for 2026-27) and Grow PA (up to $5,000 a year) apply at Penn College and PIA Pittsburgh.

Compare schools by metro: Philadelphia-area A&P schools

Pennsylvania A&P Schools Compared

Costs are tuition plus mandatory fees for the full path to the General, Airframe and Powerplant exams. Books, tools and FAA exam fees are extra unless noted.

School	Full A&P path	Length	Cost	Starts	FAA pass rate*
Aviation Institute of Maintenance – Philadelphia Northeast Philadelphia Airport	AMT certificate (78 credits)	21 months	$52,077 (2023-24, latest published)	Frequent; day or evening	73.4%
Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics West Mifflin, Allegheny County Airport	Associate in Specialized Technology (77 credits)	20 months	$46,350; $48,975 with books and tools	Sept, Jan, May	92.1%
Penn College Williamsport, Lumley Aviation Center	Certificate (71 credits) or AAS (83)	4 semesters	About $45,100 certificate, $52,769 AAS (PA residents; plus lab fees)	Fall; waitlisted for 2027	86.5%
Johnson College Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Intl Airport	Aviation Technology AAS (72 credits)	2 years	$45,800	Fall; 16 seats a year	Too few tests
Saint Francis University Johnstown airport	AMT certificate (55 credits)	21 months	$40,975 tuition and fees; $55,415 with tools, laptop, books and examiner fees	August and January	Not yet in FAA data

*Combined General, Airframe and Powerplant written-test pass rate, August 1, 2023–December 31, 2024, from the FAA’s pass-rate report. The FAA labels this data preliminary. Penn College’s figure covers Airframe and Powerplant tests only. Saint Francis received FAA approval in 2024 and Johnson College launched in 2023, so neither has meaningful data yet.

What A&P School Costs in Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics moved to semester billing in September 2026: $8,850 per term for five terms ($44,250), plus registration, uniform, technology and materials fees ($46,350), plus $2,625 for books and tools. All nine FAA exams add $1,725, for about $50,700 in all.

Penn College charges Pennsylvania residents $631–$640 per credit including mandatory fees in 2026-27 ($896–$910 out of state), plus $70 per lab hour, which adds up in a lab-heavy program. The 71-credit certificate runs about $45,100 before lab fees and tools; the AAS about $52,769.

Johnson College lists $9,850 per semester plus $750 in technology fees and an $800 aviation fee each semester, $45,800 for the AAS. Saint Francis publishes an all-in figure of $55,415, including a $7,975 toolkit, a laptop, books and $1,800 in FAA examiner fees.

AIM has not posted a tuition sheet newer than 2023-24: $52,077 in tuition and fees, $53,127 with books and tools. It accepts federal aid, the GI Bill and military tuition assistance.

State aid

The PA State Grant rises to a maximum of $6,000 for 2026-27 for eligible residents who file the FAFSA by May 1; PIA accepts it at its Pittsburgh campus. Grow PA grants of up to $5,000 a year cover Penn College’s program, in exchange for working in Pennsylvania after graduation. Ask your local PA CareerLink office about WIOA training funds.

Pennsylvania A&P Schools by Region

Philadelphia

Compare Philadelphia-area options side by side, including schools in New Jersey and Delaware.

Aviation Institute of Maintenance – Philadelphia

AIM’s campus at 3001 Grant Ave sits on Northeast Philadelphia Airport, with two hangars. It offers the 21-month AMT certificate four days a week, mornings or evenings. Graduates passed 73.4% of FAA written tests, and AIM reports 51% graduation and 76% employment for 2021-22 starts.

Western Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (West Mifflin)

PIA, founded in 1929, trains at Allegheny County Airport. Its Pittsburgh campus now offers a 20-month Associate in Specialized Technology in Aviation Maintenance Technology (77 credits) and an avionics degree; the shorter 16-month diploma is offered only at its branch campuses. PIA posted the best FAA pass rate in the state (92.1%) and, in its ACCSC report, 87% graduation and 95% employment.

Saint Francis University (Johnstown)

Saint Francis earned FAA Part 147 approval in 2024 and graduated its first class in May 2026. Its 55-credit AMT certificate runs five semesters, full-time, at the university’s Aviation Education Center at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport, with cohorts starting in August and January.

Central and Northeastern Pennsylvania

Penn College (Williamsport)

Penn College trains at its 50,000-square-foot Lumley Aviation Center hangar. It offers a 71-credit certificate, an 83-credit AAS and a bachelor’s in Aviation Maintenance Technology. Demand is high: the certificate and AAS are waitlisted for spring and fall 2027, though applications remain open.

Johnson College (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport)

Johnson College launched its Aviation Technology AAS in 2023 in a hangar at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. The two-year program admits 16 students a year, and federal grants funded its equipment.

Nearby in New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland

AIM Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, near Teterboro: 21-month AMT certificate; 70.4% FAA pass rate. See the New Jersey guide.
Delaware Tech (Georgetown, DE): 95-credit AAS at Delaware Coastal Airport; about $12,900 for Delaware residents.
PIA Hagerstown, Maryland: 16-month diploma, $31,200 tuition; 88.3% FAA pass rate.

How to Become an A&P Mechanic in Pennsylvania

Complete a Part 147 program (about 20 months to two years in Pennsylvania), or document 30 months of hands-on experience on airframes and engines.
Pass three written tests (General, Airframe, Powerplant) at an FAA-approved testing center.
Pass the oral and practical exams with a Designated Mechanic Examiner.
Receive your FAA Mechanic Certificate with Airframe and Powerplant ratings. You must be at least 18. Pennsylvania has no separate state license.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a cheap A&P school in Pennsylvania?

Not by national standards. Pennsylvania has no community college A&P program, so options start around $45,000. State grants of up to $6,000 a year and Grow PA grants can lower the cost; Delaware Tech, just over the border, costs about $30,550 for non-residents.

Which Pennsylvania A&P school has the best pass rate?

Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, 92.1% on 774 FAA written tests from August 2023 to December 2024.

Are there A&P schools in Philadelphia?

Yes. Aviation Institute of Maintenance trains at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. See the Philadelphia comparison for nearby options in New Jersey and Delaware.

Can I study A&P at night in Pennsylvania?

Yes, at AIM Philadelphia, which runs evening classes four days a week.

How We Verify This Information

We check every figure against primary sources: each school’s 2026-27 catalog, tuition schedule and program pages; ACCSC outcome disclosures for private schools; and the FAA’s pass-rate report. Where a school does not publish a figure, we say so. Totals are tuition plus mandatory fees for the full A&P path and exclude books, tools, housing and FAA exam fees unless noted. Verified October 4, 2026.