Trade licensing overview · aircraft mechanic (a&p)
How aircraft mechanic (a&p) licensing works — New Jersey
How this trade is regulated in New Jersey. federal-license-required The framework below describes the national pathway most aircraft mechanic (a&p)s in New Jersey follow.
Aircraft mechanics are federally licensed by the FAA, not by states. The Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certificate is issued under 14 CFR Part 65 and preempts any state mechanic licensing scheme.
Aircraft Mechanic (A&P) wages in New Jersey · BLS OES A01 2024
Wages are state-level annual figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (A01 2024). Specific aircraft mechanic (a&p) earnings in New Jersey vary by metro area, employer type, union membership, and years of experience. Verify the current state and metro figures on the BLS OES site (bls.gov/oes).
What this trade actually looks like in New Jersey
Aircraft mechanics in New Jersey work in a dense market shaped by Newark Liberty International Airport airline operations (a major United Airlines hub), Teterboro Airport corporate and charter (one of the busiest business-jet airports in the world), Atlantic City International, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst military aviation, and Federal Aviation Administration William J. Hughes Technical Center research operations.
Where they work
Newark (EWR United Airlines hub line and base maintenance, FedEx and UPS cargo, station maintenance for foreign carriers), Teterboro (TEB business-jet maintenance, Jet Aviation, Meridian, Million Air, Atlantic Aviation), Atlantic City (ACY airline stations, FAA Tech Center, 177th Fighter Wing New Jersey ANG), Lakehurst (Joint Base MDL aviation contractor support), Trenton (TTN regional and corporate), and Morristown (MMU corporate and charter).
Pay context
New Jersey has high cost of living, particularly in northern counties tied to the New York metro. Posted A&P wages at EWR (union scales) and Teterboro corporate hangars typically run above national median for 49-3011 to reflect the metro labor market. State income tax is significant. Pull the New Jersey row from the BLS OES 49-3011 table at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes493011.htm for the current annual median figure. See https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nj.htm.
Training pathway
Mercer County Community College in West Windsor offers an FAA Part 147 AMTS; County College of Morris and Bergen Community College offer related aviation coursework. United Airlines runs direct-hire programs at EWR. Military aviation-MOS experience from Joint Base MDL and the New Jersey ANG units qualifies under 14 CFR 65.77.
Considerations
If you want a major airline hub and a deep business-aviation market, New Jersey is a top option. If you cannot tolerate Northeast cost of living and traffic, factor that in. State has no separate mechanic license; FAA A&P preempts.
New Jersey aircraft mechanic (a&p) snapshot
| MSA | Employed | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 3,760 | $98,730 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,040 | $73,180 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 120 | $83,160 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 110 | $74,130 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 100 | $92,190 |
FEDERAL LICENSE STATUS
The Federal Aviation Administration licenses aircraft mechanics under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 65, Certification: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-65). The Mechanic certificate is issued with Airframe, Powerplant, or both ratings; the combined A&P is the primary credential held by civilian aviation mechanics (https://www.faa.gov/mechanics). State mechanic licenses do not apply to certificated aircraft work. FAA certification preempts state licensing for maintenance performed on type-certificated aircraft (https://www.faa.gov/mechanics/become). A certificated mechanic may exercise privileges anywhere in the United States without state-level registration.
CFR PART 65 REQUIREMENTS
Under 14 CFR §65.77, an applicant must document 18 months of practical experience on the procedures, practices, materials, tools, machine tools, and equipment generally used in airframe OR powerplant work for a single rating, or 30 months of concurrent experience for both ratings (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-65). Alternatively, graduation from an FAA-certificated Part 147 Aviation Maintenance Technician School satisfies the experience requirement (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-H/part-147). Every applicant must pass three FAA written tests, General, Airframe, and Powerplant, followed by an oral and practical examination administered by a Designated Mechanic Examiner (https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing). The written tests are delivered through FAA-authorized testing centers.
PART 147 SCHOOLS
FAA-certificated Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools (AMTS) operate under 14 CFR Part 147 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-H/part-147). The legacy curriculum required 1,900 classroom and shop hours (400 general, 750 airframe, and 750 powerplant), and the 2022 rewrite of Part 147 moved the content to an FAA-approved curriculum model tied to the Airman Certification Standards (https://www.faa.gov/mechanics). Programs typically run 18 to 24 months. Completion substitutes for the 18 or 30 months of documented work experience required under §65.77, and graduates still sit for the three written, oral, and practical exams (https://www.faa.gov/mechanics/become). The DOL RAPIDS apprenticeship finder also lists registered aircraft-mechanic programs by ZIP (https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-job-finder).
IA (INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION)
Inspection Authorization is an advanced endorsement available to A&P mechanics under 14 CFR §65.91 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-65#65.91). To qualify, a mechanic must hold an A&P for at least 3 years, have been actively engaged in maintaining certificated aircraft for the 2 years immediately preceding application, and pass the IA written exam. IA privileges include signing off annual inspections, performing progressive inspections, and approving major repairs and major alterations for return to service using FAA Form 337 (https://www.faa.gov/mechanics). Authorization expires March 31 of each odd-numbered year and is renewed under §65.93 by meeting recent-activity criteria (inspections performed, training completed, or re-examination) every 2 years.
AVIONICS / REPAIRMAN
Avionics technicians who transmit on aircraft radios typically hold the FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL), Element 3, issued by the Federal Communications Commission (https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/commercial-radio-operator-license-program). Avionics work on installed equipment is often performed under an FAA-certificated Repair Station (14 CFR Part 145) rather than by an individual A&P. The Repairman Certificate under 14 CFR §65.101 is an employer-specific alternative: it is issued to an individual recommended by a Part 145 repair station, Part 135 operator, or Part 121 air carrier, and its privileges are limited to the employer that requested the certificate (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-65#65.101). A Repairman Certificate is surrendered when employment ends and is not portable to a new employer. BLS OOH covers aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians under a shared occupation page (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/aircraft-and-avionics-equipment-mechanics-and-technicians.htm).