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Helicopter technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a helicopter technician. Helicopter technicians usually study aviation, automotive technology, or general studies. 34% of helicopter technicians hold a associate degree, and 32% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 321 real helicopter technician resumes to see exactly what helicopter technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for helicopter technicians are the Arizona State University and the Arizona State University.
There are also many online helicopter technician courses to help get the education required to be a helicopter technician.
What education do you need to become a helicopter technician?
What degree do you need to be a helicopter technician?
- Associate, 34%
- Bachelor's, 32%
- High School Diploma, 22%
- Master's, 4%
- Other Degrees, 8%
What should I major in to become a helicopter technician?
- Aviation, 24%
- General Studies, 8%
- Education, 7%
- Other Majors, 52%
Most common colleges for helicopter technicians
| Helicopter technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Arizona State University | 14.29% |
| University of Central Florida | 10.71% |
| Texas A&M University - Central Texas | 7.14% |
| Austin Peay State University | 7.14% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 7.14% |
Best majors for helicopter technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aviation | 24.4% |
| 2 | Automotive Technology | 9.3% |
| 3 | General Studies | 8.1% |
| 4 | Education | 7.0% |
| 5 | Engineering Technology | 4.7% |
Best colleges for helicopter technicians
The best colleges for helicopter technicians are Purdue University, Ohio State University, and Saint Louis University.
A helicopter technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for helicopter technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become helicopter technicians.
1. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Enrollment
9,394
3. Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS • Private
In-state tuition
$10,383
Enrollment
17,611
4. Baker College
Owosso, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$9,800
Enrollment
8,319
5. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
6. Worldwide Campus
Daytona Beach, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$9,360
Enrollment
10,254
7. Utah State University
Logan, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$8,138
Enrollment
21,658
8. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
9. Lewis University
Romeoville, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$32,450
Enrollment
4,217
10. Vermont Technical College
Randolph, VT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,108
Enrollment
1,350
20 best online courses for helicopter technicians
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1. Intro to Unity 3D Physics: Helicopters
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2. Garnett Cross Training in the Maintenance of Oil Hydraulics
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3. Part 1 FAA Private Pilot Ground School (Part 61)
Introduction to flight training, Aircraft Structure, Systems and Flight Instruments...
4. Maintenance Planning Basics
Understanding maintenance planning basics of successful maintenance department...
5. Maintenance Management Basics
Crucial knowledge and practices for successful maintenance department...
6. Airline Operations: Flight Planning and Flight Dispatch
Airline Operations: Master the essentials of aviation - aircraft operational control and dispatch...
7. Aerospace Engineering: Aircraft Systems and Avionics
Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering: Master the Systems of Airplanes - Hydraulics, Avionics, Electric, Propulsion...
8. Reliability and Maintenance Engineering - FMEA
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis - A mechanical engineering approach to risk management of plant and machinery...
9. Flight Mechanics - From Theory to Certification of Aircraft
Modeling theory, aircraft 6DOF simulation, flight dynamics, flight simulators and aircraft certification...
10. Operating Systems Final Part (4): File Systems & Threads
Learn the concepts of Operating Systems from scratch as Operating System forms the core of Computer Science...
11. Control Systems: From Mathematical Modelling to PID Control
Learn the mathematics that will allow you to model and control any engineering system. Make machines do what you want!...
12. Real World SAP - Plant Maintenance Orders and Notifications
Learn SAP PM / EAM with a focus on real world scenarios...
13. Electrical Control & Protection Systems
This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical substation...
14. Write Your Own Operating System From Scratch - Step by Step
Build your own 64-bit operating system - for the x86 architecture...
15. Product Development & Systems Engineering
The complete Product Development & Systems Engineering course! Earn 25 contact hours AND prepare to take the INCOSE Exam...
16. Applied Control Systems 3: UAV drone (3D Dynamics & control)
Modeling + state space systems + Model Predictive Control + feedback control + Python simulation: UAV quadcopter drone...
17. SAP Plant Maintenance(PM) Module Online Classes
Functional Module SAP Plant Maintenance(PM) with Configuration...
18. Essential Tools for Windows System Administrators
[Windows] [System Administration] Learn Windows Builtin Tools & Open Source Tools for Efficient System Administration...
19. Operating Systems Part 3: Synchronization and Deadlock
Learn the concepts of Operating Systems from scratch as Operating System forms the core of Computer Science...
20. Railway Systems Engineering (Equivalent to Micro MSc )
A Journey in the World of Railway Systems Operation Rolling Stock Traction System Engineering Infrastructure...
Top 10 most affordable universities for helicopter technicians
The most affordable schools for helicopter technicians are SUNY Farmingdale, brigham young university - idaho, and university of puerto rico - mayaguez.
If the best universities for helicopter technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for helicopter technicians.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. Brigham Young University - Idaho
Rexburg, ID • Private
In-state tuition
$4,118
Cost of attendance
12,223
3. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
6. Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Durant, OK • Private
In-state tuition
$6,750
Cost of attendance
15,839
7. Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,194
Cost of attendance
14,934
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla
Aguadilla, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,902
Cost of attendance
13,284
10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon
Bayamon, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
13,508
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for helicopter technicians
The hardest universities for helicopter technicians to get into are Purdue University, Ohio State University, and Saint Louis University.
Some great schools for helicopter technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for helicopter technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,309
2. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
1,359
3. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,304
4. Baylor University
Waco, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,307
5. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
Admissions rate
46%
SAT average
1,091
6. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,339
7. Lewis University
Romeoville, IL • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,142
8. Florida Institute of Technology
Melbourne, FL • Private
Admissions rate
65%
SAT average
1,264
9. Walla Walla University
College Place, WA • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,114
10. Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA • Private
Admissions rate
56%
SAT average
1,133
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for helicopter technicians
The easiest schools for helicopter technicians to get into are South Dakota State University, suny farmingdale, and brigham young university - idaho.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a helicopter technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for helicopter technicians.
1. South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,149
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
Admissions rate
46%
SAT average
1,091
3. Brigham Young University - Idaho
Rexburg, ID • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,140
4. Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, MA • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,073
5. University of Minnesota - Crookston
Crookston, MN • Private
Admissions rate
66%
SAT average
1,104
6. Middle Georgia State University
Macon, GA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
980
7. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
8. Salem State University
Salem, MA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,065
9. Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,107
10. Averett University
Danville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
61%
SAT average
953
Average helicopter technician salary by education level
| Helicopter technician education level | Helicopter technician salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,995 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $45,699 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,668 |
Helicopter technician education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common installation, maintenance and repair questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025