The 2026 Pipeline Report

FAA issued record number of mechanic certificates in 2025

The U.S. certificated mechanic population is growing as efforts to develop more skilled workers from multiple sources are paying dividends, but industry's expansion and looming retirements continue to pressure workforce supply. Those are two of the key takeaways from the 2026 Pipeline Report, jointly produced by ATEC and Oliver Wyman. 
 
The FAA issued a record 11,103 new mechanic certificates in 2025—23.2% more than in 2024 and the highest annual total since the agency began publishing the data. 
 
AMTS drove the record-setting total. The number of mechanics certificated through the school pathway reached an all-time high of 7,496, increasing 27% from 2024. A 13% increase in overall AMTS enrollment backed that growth, and the outlook for 2026 is even better, respondents to the survey that underpin the report show. 
 
The civilian-experience pathway also posted strong gains. The number of mechanics qualifying through programs such as apprenticeships increased 21% in 2025, far exceeding the pathway’s average annual growth rate of less than 3% over the previous decade. This acceleration points to greater engagement by employers to gain more control of their workforce pipelines. 
 
Certificates earned based on military experience increased 5% to 1,375, an encouraging turnaround from the 2025 Report's 14% decline. 
 
Women are slowly helping fill the workforce pipeline. This year's report reveals women reached 3.0% of the certificated mechanic population for the first time (2025 Pipeline Report: 2.9%), continuing a steady but slow year-over-year increase. 
 
"The overall growth trend and underlying drivers are encouraging signs that industry is making progress in its effort to expand and diversify the technical workforce pipeline," said  Crystal Maguire, Executive Director of ATEC. "We need to continue building momentum to meet both near-term and long-term demand needs, and that includes ensuring we're attracting sufficient resources as well as workforce candidates." 
 
Trends & Challenges 

• The aviation mechanic population continues to grow older, with 44% over the age of 60--a 3% increase over 2025's report.  The aging population will create a retirement wave during the next 10 years that is expected to include more than 39,000 mechanics.
• Oliver Wyman projects a North American shortfall of approximately 25,000 aviation technical personnel this year, including 9,100 certificated mechanics. By 2030, the certificated mechanic deficit is projected to reach approximately 20,000—equal to 12% of anticipated demand.
• AMTS enrollment rose 13.5% in 2025 to 27,740—nearly three times the 10-year average annual growth rate of 4.6%. Even with that growth, the AMTS student load factor—the share of available A&P program seats filled by enrolled students—stood at 62%. Increasing enrollment remains a key step in closing the certificated mechanic deficit.
• While AMTS are growing, many are hampered by resource constraints. Respondents to an AMTS survey conducted for the Pipeline Report identified insufficient funding—for facilities, tools, materials, and/or equipment—as the single largest barrier to program growth. The second largest driver was inability to hire and retain faculty.
• More than one-third of certificated mechanics were engaged in general aviation or working for repair stations, air carriers, or AMTS in 2025. This group represents 66% of the air operator maintenance workforce, 20% of the repair station workforce, and 86% of the general aviation workforce.

Previous Reports

2025 Pipeline Report: New Mechanic Certificates Jumped in 2024, But Technical Workforce Gap Concerns Remain

2024 Pipeline Report: Mechanic Workforce Pipeline Flow Increasing, But Demand Still Out-pacing Supply

2023 Pipeline Report: Increased Awareness, Testing Protocol Improvements Will Bolster Mechanic Pipeline, New Report Finds

2022 Pipeline Report: New Mechanic Figures Trending in Right Direction, But Major Workforce Shortage Still Looms

2021 Pipeline Report: Downturn Hampered Mechanic-pipeline Growth Trajectory,  But  Doesn’t  Shift  Long-term  Needs

2019-2020 Pipeline Report: Measurable Progress Toward Sufficient,Sustainable Pipeline of Aviation Maintenance Technicians, But Clear Opportunities Remain 

2018 Pipeline Report: Industry Making Progress Filling Aviation Maintenance Technician Gap, But Pace Of Success Must Accelerate To Avoid Shortages, Report Finds

2017 Pipeline Report: A Look at the Path to an AMT, and Workforce Development Challenges and Opportunities