Illinois Aviation Mechanic Schools 2026-27: Costs, Length & Pass Rates

Updated October 1, 2026. Verified against 2026-27 school catalogs, tuition schedules, ACCSC disclosures and FAA pass-rate data. How we verify.

Illinois has six FAA-certificated A&P mechanic schools, plus a City Colleges of Chicago degree taught partly at Aviation Institute of Maintenance’s Chicago campus. Two are in the Chicago area (AIM Chicago and Lewis University), one is in Rockford, and three are downstate. Public colleges cost about $9,000–$37,000 for the full Airframe and Powerplant path; private schools run $52,000 and up. Harper College in Palatine is building a program but is still waiting on FAA approval.

Key Takeaways

Lowest cost: Southwestern Illinois College’s 60-credit A&P certificate costs $9,240 in tuition and fees for district residents, plus course fees. Rock Valley College is next at about $12,900.
Fastest: SWIC’s intensive schedule finishes in 50 weeks. Lewis University takes 15 months with summer terms.
Soonest start in Chicago: Aviation Institute of Maintenance’s next class starts November 2, 2026, with day and evening schedules. Most public programs start only in fall or spring.
Highest FAA pass rates: Southern Illinois University (96.3%), Lewis University (95.5%) and Rock Valley College (95.0%) for August 2023–December 2024.
Out-of-state students: SIU Carbondale charges U.S. students from any state its in-state rate.

Compare schools by metro: Chicago A&P schools

Illinois A&P Schools Compared

Costs are tuition plus mandatory fees for the full path to both the Airframe and Powerplant exams, at the in-district rate. Books, tools and FAA exam fees are extra.

School	Full A&P path	Length	Tuition + fees (in-district)	Starts	FAA pass rate*
Aviation Institute of Maintenance – Chicago Chicago	AMT certificate (78 credits)	21 months	$52,077 (2023-24, latest published)	Next start Nov 2, 2026	76.6%
Lewis University Romeoville	AMT certificate (61 credits)	15 months with summers, 21 without	$74,298–$84,800	Not published	95.5%
City Colleges of Chicago (Olive-Harvey) Chicago, with AIM	AAS (80 credits)	About 8 semesters	$18,572	Not published	Tests under AIM
Rock Valley College Rockford (airport)	Aviation Maintenance Certificate (76 credits)	6 terms, about 22 months	About $12,856 plus course fees	Fall or spring	95.0%
Southern Illinois University Carbondale (airport)	Airframe + Powerplant certificates (64 credits)	4 semesters	$36,944 (same for U.S. out-of-state)	Not published	96.3%
Lincoln Land Community College Springfield (airport)	Airframe + Powerplant certificates (66 credits)	18 months	$20,394	Aug 11, 2026; Jan 5, 2027	90.3%
Southwestern Illinois College Granite City	A&P certificate (60 credits)	50 weeks intensive, or 2 years	$9,240 plus course fees	Not published	87.9%

*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. Southwestern Illinois College appears in the report under its legal name, Community College District 522. City Colleges students take their Airframe and Powerplant courses at AIM Chicago.

What A&P School Costs in Illinois

Community colleges

Illinois community colleges charge in-district, out-of-district and out-of-state rates, and several add surcharges for aviation or career-technical courses. Lincoln Land doubles its in-district rate for aviation courses, to $293 per credit, so its 66-credit path costs $20,394 even for local residents. Rock Valley adds $25 per credit to career-technical courses. Southwestern Illinois College charges $145 per credit in-district in 2026-27.

Southern Illinois University

SIU charges $327.75 per credit in tuition plus about $158 in per-credit fees and a $1,142 per-semester insurance and grant fee, for $36,944 over the four-semester A&P path. U.S. students from other states pay the same rate, which makes SIU one of the better values in the Midwest for non-residents. The rate is guaranteed for four years for new students.

Private schools

AIM Chicago does not publish current tuition. Its latest published figures (2023-24) were $47,410 in tuition plus $4,667 in fees, $52,077 total. Lewis University charges $20,950 per full-time semester in 2026-27; its 61-credit certificate costs $74,298 at the per-credit rate or $84,800 over four full-time semesters, depending on how you enroll.

FAA exam fees

Most programs do not include testing. Lincoln Land budgets $1,425 for the three written tests and Rock Valley about $1,525 for the written, oral and practical exams combined. Expect $1,500–$2,200 in total.

Illinois A&P Schools by Region

Chicago area

Compare all Chicago-area A&P schools side by side.

Aviation Institute of Maintenance – Chicago

AIM’s Chicago campus opened in 2021 at 3711 S Ashland Ave in McKinley Park, with a 32,000-square-foot hangar and an avionics lab. It offers one program here: the 21-month Aviation Maintenance Technician certificate.

Schedule: day and evening classes; next start November 2, 2026.
Aid: ACCSC accredited; federal aid, GI Bill, military Tuition Assistance and WIOA.
Outcomes: 64% graduation and 50% employment for the 2021-22 cohort (school’s 2025 ACCSC disclosure).
Partners named: American Airlines, United Airlines and Crucial MRO.

Lewis University (Romeoville)

Lewis trains at its own airport on campus, about 30 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. Its 61-credit certificate takes 15 months with summer terms, and a working-adult option runs labs four to five nights a week. Lewis also offers an AAS (77 credits) and an AABI-accredited bachelor’s degree. Its graduates passed 95.5% of FAA written tests in the latest report.

City Colleges of Chicago – Olive-Harvey College

Olive-Harvey’s 80-credit AAS starts with general aviation courses on its South Side campus; the Airframe and Powerplant courses are taken at AIM Chicago at a flat $316.67 per credit. At FY2027 rates, the full degree costs about $18,572 for Chicago residents. The shorter 20-credit Basic Certificate prepares you for the FAA General exam only.

Northern Illinois

Rock Valley College (Rockford)

Rock Valley trains at a 40,000-square-foot center at Chicago Rockford International Airport, about 90 minutes from Chicago, and posted a 95.0% FAA pass rate on 200 tests. Its 76-credit Aviation Maintenance Certificate covers both ratings over six terms.

Cost: about $12,856 for district residents and $21,596 for others, before course fees, at current posted rates.
Admission: selective, first come, first served, after a required advising meeting and math placement.
Employer tie: AAR’s EAGLE Career Pathway offers tuition reimbursement and mentoring for Rock Valley students.

Coming soon: Harper College in Palatine opened an aviation maintenance lab at Schaumburg Regional Airport in January 2026. Its 72-credit AAS will start once the FAA approves the facility.

Central and Southern Illinois

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

SIU trains at Southern Illinois Airport with a fleet that includes a Boeing 737 and Gulfstream III, and it is the only Illinois school with Bell Helicopter-approved training. The A&P certificates take four semesters (64 credits); a bachelor’s in Aviation Technologies adds concentrations in maintenance management, avionics and helicopters. Pass rate: 96.3%.

Lincoln Land Community College (Springfield)

Lincoln Land trains at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, Monday–Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Both certificates take about 18 months, with starts in August and January. Budget for tools: the school lists a $5,512.66 Snap-on kit, with other options available.

Southwestern Illinois College (Granite City)

SWIC trains at its Sam Wolf Granite City Campus in the St. Louis metro. Its intensive schedule (eight hours a day) earns the A&P certificate in 50 weeks; a four-hour-a-day option takes two years. SWIC also offers a 75-credit AAS and a transfer path to SIU’s bachelor’s degree.

How to Become an A&P Mechanic in Illinois

Complete a Part 147 program (50 weeks to 2 years in Illinois), or document 30 months of hands-on maintenance experience.
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. Illinois has no separate state license.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest A&P school in Illinois?

For district residents, Southwestern Illinois College ($9,240 plus course fees) and Rock Valley College (about $12,856). Lincoln Land is $20,394 because of its aviation surcharge.

What A&P schools are in Chicago?

Aviation Institute of Maintenance in McKinley Park and Lewis University in Romeoville. City Colleges of Chicago’s Olive-Harvey College offers an AAS taught partly at AIM. Rock Valley College in Rockford is about 90 minutes away.

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

SIU Carbondale (96.3%), Lewis University (95.5%) and Rock Valley College (95.0%) led for August 2023–December 2024.

Can out-of-state students save money in Illinois?

Yes. SIU Carbondale charges U.S. students from any state its in-state rate, about $36,944 for the full A&P path.

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. Verified October 1, 2026.