How Many A&P Certificates Does the FAA Issue Per Year?

The FAA issued 9,013 new mechanic certificates in 2024, according to the ATEC/Oliver Wyman 2025 Pipeline Report. This was the second-highest annual total on record, just 4% below 2023's record-setting 9,401 certificates. Approximately two-thirds of new mechanics obtained certification through an FAA-certificated aviation maintenance technician school (AMTS), with the remainder earning certification through military experience (14%) or work experience pathways.

While 9,013 certificates represent strong pipeline output, commercial aviation still faces a 10% shortfall in certificated mechanics for 2025. ATEC estimates 22,000 service members with aviation maintenance backgrounds leave the military annually, but the industry captures less than 10% of them. AMTS enrollment increased 9% in 2024, though total graduates dipped 5% from 2023's record.