U.S. Aviation Academy (USAA), founded in 2006 at Denton Enterprise Airport in Texas, is a private flight and maintenance school. It teaches its FAA Part 147 A&P program at five airport campuses in Texas, Georgia, Florida and Minnesota.
Verified October 3, 2026 against U.S. Aviation Academy’s program, campus and financial-aid pages, VA GI Bill data and the FAA pass-rate report. Compare A&P schools by state.
Quick Facts
- Length: 8 months full-time; 13 months weekends; 15–16 months evenings
- Cost: About $36,000 incl. tool use, digital books and first FAA exam attempts
- Location: Denton & San Marcos, TX; Forest Park (Atlanta), GA; Kissimmee, FL; Blaine (Minneapolis), MN
- Website: Official School Web Page
Our Take
Public colleges near USAA’s campuses cost less, often $5,000–$18,000. What USAA offers in return is speed and flexibility: an 8-month full-time track, the fastest in most of its markets, plus weekend and evening schedules, frequent starts and a single price of about $36,000 that includes tool use, digital books and first attempts at every FAA exam. Check the fine print: federal aid is available only through the North Central Texas College pathway in Denton, VA approval is limited to Denton, and the newer campuses have no FAA pass-rate history yet.
At a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Private for-profit aviation school (U.S. Aviation Group LLC) |
| Campuses | Denton TX (HQ), San Marcos TX, Forest Park GA, Kissimmee FL, Blaine MN; all at or near airports |
| Schedules | 8 months full-time (Mon–Thu plus Friday morning); 13 months weekends; 15–16 months weekday evenings |
| Cost | About $36,000, incl. tool use, digital books on a Chromebook and first attempts at FAA written, oral and practical exams |
| Aid | Private loans; FAFSA only through the NCTC pathway in Denton; VA-approved A&P at Denton only |
| Accreditation | The school says ACCSC; VA records list it as not accredited, so confirm |
| FAA pass rate | 77.3% (649 of 840 written tests, Aug 2023–Dec 2024), one certificate covering its program |
| Verified | October 3, 2026 |
Campuses
USAA runs the same A&P curriculum and price at each campus. The FAA reports one USAA certificate, so pass-rate data is not available campus by campus.
| Campus | Location | Schedules | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denton, TX | Denton Enterprise Airport (HQ) | 8-month day; 13-month weekend; 16-month evening | VA-approved; NCTC for-credit pathway with FAFSA; 3-week prep course for experienced mechanics |
| San Marcos, TX | San Marcos Regional Airport | 8-month day; 15-month night | Starts every 6–10 weeks; up to $4,000 relocation reimbursement |
| Forest Park, GA | 5559 Old Dixie Rd, near Hartsfield-Jackson | 8-month day; 13-month weekend; 15-month night | Opened January 2024; VA status unclear |
| Kissimmee, FL | Kissimmee Gateway Airport | 16 months | Opened May 2026; not VA-approved |
| Blaine, MN | Anoka County–Blaine Airport | 8-month day; 16-month night | Listed by the school; not independently confirmed |
USAA’s pages give the evening program as 15 or 16 months depending on campus.
Programs
USAA’s A&P program covers General, Airframe and Powerplant. Students can shorten it by about 25% by completing two online courses first ($1,000 to start, then $35,000).
| Option | Schedule | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | Mon–Thu 7:30 a.m.–3:50 p.m., Fri 7:30–11:20 a.m. | 8 months |
| Weekend | Fri 1–7:30 p.m., Sat–Sun 8 a.m.–6:30 p.m. | 13 months |
| Evening | Weekdays about 4–10:30 p.m. | 15–16 months |
| NCTC collegiate pathway (Denton) | Courses at USAA plus academics at NCTC | As little as 16 months |
| Avionics add-on | Evenings, 4 weeks | $4,000–$4,500 |
What You Will Actually Pay
USAA lists $36,000 tuition for every schedule, covering tool use, digital books and first attempts at the FAA written, oral and practical exams. That makes it one of the lower-priced private A&P programs. Most students pay with private loans (Sallie Mae, Ascent and others); FAFSA aid is available only through the North Central Texas College pathway in Denton, and the VA-approved program is offered only at Denton.
Why Students Choose USAA
- Finish fast: 8 months full-time, versus about two years at most public colleges.
- Keep your job: weekend and evening schedules at most campuses.
- One price: about $36,000 with tool use, books and first FAA exam attempts included.
- Airport campuses: every site is at or near a working airport, and USAA also trains pilots.
- Already experienced? Denton runs a 3-week oral and practical prep course, and a 6-week transition course serves military mechanics.
USAA vs. Nearby Public Programs
Public colleges cost less but usually take about two years and start once or twice a year. These are verified public options near USAA campuses.
| Campus | Nearby public option | Cost (residents) | FAA pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denton | Tarrant County College (Fort Worth) | About $5,476 | 88.4% |
| San Marcos | St. Philip’s College (San Antonio) | About $8,300 | 86.9% |
| Forest Park | Atlanta Technical College | $13,356 (both certificates), HOPE eligible | 81.8% |
| Kissimmee | Eastern Florida State College (Melbourne) | $17,996 incl. tools | 98.7% |
Pass rates are for August 2023–December 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does U.S. Aviation Academy cost?
About $36,000 for any schedule, including tool use, digital books and first attempts at the FAA exams.
How fast can I finish?
In 8 months on the full-time schedule. Weekend students take about 13 months and evening students 15–16 months.
Can I use FAFSA or the GI Bill?
FAFSA aid is available through the North Central Texas College pathway at Denton. USAA says its VA-approved A&P program is offered only at Denton; the Florida campus is not VA-approved.
Is USAA FAA-approved?
Yes. USAA operates an FAA Part 147 school; its certificate posted a 77.3% pass rate from August 2023 to December 2024, per the FAA pass-rate report.
Compare Schools in Each State
See every A&P school in USAA’s states: Texas, Georgia, Florida, Minnesota.