Veteran Trade Schools

VA-approved aircraft mechanic programs in Illinois

Quick answer

Aircraft mechanic training in Illinois is spread across 7 cities, with Rockford the largest at 3 locations.

VA's GI Bill® Comparison Tool lists 10 aircraft mechanic training locations in Illinois with 13 approved programs: 5 with school programs and 5 with apprenticeship or on-the-job training.

Before you enroll, open the VA profile to confirm the exact program, and ask the School Certifying Official to confirm your start date. [VA: Choosing a GI Bill approved school]

10 locations, by city

Source: VA GI Bill Comparison Tool program data, retrieved October 24, 2026. School details come from VA's data file dated October 8, 2026. The list is sorted by city, then name. It isn't a ranking.

Common questions

How many GI Bill-approved aircraft mechanic programs are in Illinois?

VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool lists 13 approved programs at 10 locations in Illinois as of October 24, 2026. That's about 4% of the 279 aircraft mechanic locations in VA's data nationally. By type: 5 employers and apprenticeship sponsors, 3 public colleges and technical schools, 1 for-profit school, 1 private nonprofit school.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool]

Which cities in Illinois have aircraft mechanic programs?

By number of locations: Rockford (3), Chicago (2), East Alton (1), Ottawa (1), Romeoville (1), Springfield (1) and 1 more city.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool]

Are there paid aircraft mechanic apprenticeships in Illinois that take the GI Bill?

Yes. 5 locations offer VA-approved on-the-job training in Illinois (5 programs); 4 of them are registered apprenticeships. With the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you're paid wages plus a monthly housing payment that steps down every six months.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool] [VA: On-the-job training and apprenticeships]

Other trades in Illinois

← All Aircraft Mechanic programs · Does the GI Bill cover aircraft mechanic school?

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “GI Bill Comparison Tool”. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  2. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “GI Bill Comparison Tool data (ComparisonToolData.xlsx)”. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  3. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “Choosing a GI Bill approved school”. Retrieved October 23, 2026.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.