Veteran Trade Schools

VA-approved diesel mechanic programs in Illinois

Quick answer

Diesel mechanic training in Illinois is spread across 18 cities, with no more than one location in any city.

VA's GI Bill® Comparison Tool lists 18 diesel mechanic training locations in Illinois with 21 approved programs: 15 with school programs and 3 with apprenticeship or on-the-job training. 1 has a VA caution flag.

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]

18 locations, by city

Richland Community College

Decatur, IL
VA profile for Richland Community College (opens VA Comparison Tool)
VA-approved School program Public VA caution flag
  • Diesel Performance Specialist
  • Senior Diesel Tech

VA caution flag: School placed on Heightened Cash Monitoring. The Department of Education has placed this school on Heightened Cash Monitoring because of financial or federal compliance issues. Learn more about Heightened Cash Monitoring

GI Bill students (all programs): 32Accredited (regional)

Show all 18 locations

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 diesel mechanic programs are in Illinois?

VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool lists 21 approved programs at 18 locations in Illinois as of October 24, 2026. That's about 3% of the 612 diesel mechanic locations in VA's data nationally. By type: 15 public colleges and technical schools, 3 employers and apprenticeship sponsors.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool]

Which cities in Illinois have diesel mechanic programs?

By number of locations: Centralia (1), Channahon (1), Chicago (1), Chicago Heights (1), Decatur (1), Fairfield (1) and 12 more cities.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool]

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

Yes. 3 locations offer VA-approved on-the-job training in Illinois (3 programs); 3 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]

Do any diesel mechanic schools in Illinois have VA caution flags?

Yes. 1 location has a VA caution flag. Each flag is shown on its listing in VA's wording. Read it before you enroll.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool]

Other trades in Illinois

← All Diesel Mechanic programs · Does the GI Bill cover diesel 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.