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Major · Mechanic & Repair Technologies

FAA-licensed the credential beats the degree

Airframe Mechanics (CIP 47.0607) prepares you to repair and maintain aircraft structures and systems outside the engine. About 1,506 students complete the program across 95 institutions, with five-year tracked earnings near $60,426 — driven by FAA Airframe & Powerplant licensing rather than the degree itself.

Schools offering
95
Annual completions
1,506
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$60k

About this major

Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology (CIP 47.0607) prepares you to repair, service, and maintain aircraft components other than engines, propellers, avionics, and instruments. Coursework moves between classroom theory and hangar labs: layout and fabrication of sheet metal, fabric, wood, and composites into structural members; replacement of control cables, hydraulic units, and worn fittings; and service of fuel, electrical, and landing-gear systems. Programs structured around FAA Part 147 hours lead to eligibility for the federal Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certificate — the credential that actually moves résumés.

The major fits students who want a hands-on technical career with a clear federal license at the end. Mechanical aptitude, comfort with tight tolerances and inspection paperwork, and willingness to work shifts in hangars or on flight lines matter more than abstract math ability. The work rewards people who like diagnosing wear, fatigue, and corrosion on physical systems and who can follow detailed FAA-mandated procedures without shortcuts.

Scale tells the story. About 1,506 students complete CIP 47.0607 each year across 95 institutions — modest output relative to demand. The labor-market endpoint is aircraft mechanics and service technicians at a $78,680 median wage with 4% projected growth, sitting alongside the much smaller and contracting aircraft structure assembler role at $61,680. Top program sites cluster around aviation labor markets: Vaughn College in Flushing NY (167 completions), Antelope Valley CCD in Lancaster CA (132), Spartan in Broomfield CO (125), and Wichita State Tech in KS (38).

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians $79k +4.0% Postsecondary nondegree award
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers $62k -14.5% High school diploma or equivalent
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$60k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$60k

Bachelor's

$77k

Who this major is for

You may thrive here if you want a hands-on technical career anchored by a federal license, you’re comfortable with FAA Part 147 attendance rules and the mandatory drug-and-alcohol testing that comes with airworthiness work, you’d rather earn the $78,680 mechanic median through line or MRO shifts than chase a desk track, you’re open to relocating toward aviation hubs where Vaughn (NY), Antelope Valley (CA), Spartan (CO/OK), or Wichita State Tech (KS) place graduates, and you understand that the A&P certificate — not the associate’s itself — is what opens the first door.

Think twice if physical demands such as climbing, lifting, and working in confined fuselage spaces are dealbreakers for you, rotating shifts and weekend coverage won’t fit your life, you’re drawn to this major mainly for the bachelor’s wage premium ($77,275 versus $59,760 for associate’s) without realizing it reflects supervisory roles built on years of mechanic experience, or you’re evaluating a for-profit chain campus without verifying its FAA Part 147 status and A&P pass rate. The aircraft structure assembler track, with -14.5% projected growth, also deserves a hard look before you specialize toward manufacturing rather than maintenance.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Airframe Mechanics and Aircraft Maintenance Technology/Technician

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology Flushing, NY 166 1 167
Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster, CA 111 21 132
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Broomfield, CO 125 0 125
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN 67 0 67
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Tulsa, OK 47 0 47
Rock Valley College Rockford, IL 46 0 46
Pima Community College Tucson, AZ 43 0 43
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology Wichita, KS 38 0 38
Southwestern Illinois College Belleville, IL 38 0 38
Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City, UT 36 0 36
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician

10,351 completions/yr

Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician

2,426 completions/yr

Industrial Mechanics and Maintenance Technology/Technician

1,277 completions/yr

Aircraft Powerplant Technology/Technician

600 completions/yr

Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician

588 completions/yr

Agricultural Mechanics and Equipment/Machine Technology/Technician

373 completions/yr

Avionics Maintenance Technology/Technician

305 completions/yr

High Performance and Custom Engine Technician/Mechanic

278 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What do Airframe Mechanics majors actually study day-to-day?
Coursework follows the FAA Part 147 framework: layout and fabrication of sheet metal, fabric, wood, and composite materials; replacement of damaged structural members and fittings; and service of hydraulic, fuel, electrical, and landing-gear systems. Hours split between classroom theory and hangar lab work on real airframes. Programs that lead to A&P eligibility log strict attendance because the FAA mandates curriculum hours for testing.
Do I need an associate’s, or is a shorter credential enough?
BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical entry credential for aircraft mechanics and service technicians, who earn a median wage of $78,680. The 1,506 yearly completions include both associate’s and bachelor’s students, but the FAA A&P certificate is the hiring gateway. The associate’s mainly adds management runway later — bachelor’s graduates in this CIP earn $77,275 versus $59,760 for associate’s, reflecting supervisory tracks rather than line-mechanic pay.
What kinds of jobs do graduates end up in?
The two named destinations in the data are aircraft mechanics and service technicians ($78,680 median, 4% projected growth) and aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers ($61,680, -14.5% growth). Mechanics split across airline line maintenance, MRO heavy-maintenance shops, business and corporate aviation, helicopter operators, and military contractors. The assembler role sits on the manufacturing side and is contracting; the mechanic role is where the demand signal lives.
How competitive is the job market right now?
Aircraft mechanics show 4% projected growth, paired with an aging mechanic workforce and post-COVID fleet maintenance backlog that employers cite as a hiring crunch. The trade-off is shift work, FAA random drug-and-alcohol testing, physical demands, and travel for line maintenance roles. Pay scales by sector: airline line work and heavy MRO usually pay above the $78,680 median, while general aviation and entry shops sit below it.
How do I tell a real Part 147 program from a weak one?
The top institutions list mixes nonprofits like Vaughn College of Aeronautics (167 completions in NY) and community colleges like Antelope Valley CCD (132), Pima Community College (43), and Salt Lake CC (36) with for-profit chains such as Spartan College of Aeronautics (Broomfield 125, Tulsa 47) and Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis (67). Verify FAA Part 147 certification directly on the FAA registry, check published A&P pass rates, and ask placement offices for sector-specific outcomes before signing tuition.
What if I want a specialty rather than line maintenance?
The CIP family includes adjacent specialties: Aircraft Powerplant Technology (CIP 47.0608, 600 completions) covers engines and pairs with airframe to earn the full A&P; Avionics Maintenance Technology (47.0609, 305 completions) focuses on electrical and instrument systems and often pays a premium. Within airframe work, students later steer toward composites repair, sheet-metal structural work, helicopter dynamic components, or business-jet interiors as their experience builds.