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Cost Reference / AOPA, FAA, BLS, VA Primary Sources
ColoradoCost figures last verified: April 2026

Flight School Cost in Colorado: PPL Pricing, Named Schools, and Hourly Rates for 2026

Density-altitude factor. Mountain training is realistic career skill but adds cost.

PPL all-in$13,000 to $18,000Aggregated from named-school pricing
Cessna 172 wet rate$190 to $230/hrPer-hour wet rate band
CFI hourly$65 to $90/hrIndependent and Part 141 staff
VFR days / year240 to 280NOAA climate normals

Metro-tier breakdown

MetroCessna 172 wetCFI hourly
Denver / Centennial$195 to $235/hr$70 to $95/hr
Colorado Springs$190 to $230/hr$65 to $90/hr
Boulder / Longmont$195 to $240/hr$70 to $95/hr

Named flight schools (alphabetical)

SchoolLocationPartPricingSource
ATP Flight SchoolDenver / CentennialPart 141ACPP fixed pricing $123,995 / $90,995 with PPLView
Aspen Flying ClubCentennialPart 61Club rates published per aircraftView
Mountain AviationBroomfieldPart 61Per-hour, see published ratesView
Metropolitan State University of Denver AviationBroomfield (Rocky Mountain Metro)Part 141Collegiate aviation tuition + feesView

Schools listed alphabetically, never ranked. Pricing is current to April 2026 from the published source. Verify with the school at the time of enrolment.

Colorado-specific cost factors

  • Density altitude (5,000 to 7,000 ft) is genuine career training that pays off later
  • Mountain wave and turbulence experience builds skills coastal trainees lack
  • Slightly higher fuel cost than plains states
  • Winter weather days are real, plan calendar accordingly

Scholarships and grants

Major aviation scholarships available regardless of state include AOPA Flight Training Scholarships, EAA Flight Training Scholarships, Women in Aviation International, OBAP, NGPA, LeRoy Homer Foundation, and Tuskegee NEXT.

Colorado-specific programmes:

VA-approved Part 141 schools in Colorado

Veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill must enrol at a VA-approved Part 141 school for flight training to be covered. The current VA-approved school list is published at VA.gov. Several of the named-Part-141 schools above are VA-approved; verify each individually at the VA site at the time of enrolment.

See the financing options page for the GI Bill PPL-coverage gap and the alternatives available to veterans.

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Primary sources

  1. Pilot License Cost. AOPA, accessed April 2026. https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/students/pilot-license-cost
  2. Approved Part 141 Pilot Schools. FAA, accessed April 2026. https://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/schools
  3. Climate Normals (VFR-day data). NOAA, accessed April 2026. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals
  4. ATP Flight School pricing page. Denver / Centennial, accessed April 2026. https://atpflightschool.com/airline-career-pilot-program/locations.html
  5. Aspen Flying Club pricing page. Centennial, accessed April 2026. https://www.aspenflyingclub.com/
  6. Mountain Aviation pricing page. Broomfield, accessed April 2026. https://mountainaviation.com/
  7. Metropolitan State University of Denver Aviation pricing page. Broomfield (Rocky Mountain Metro), accessed April 2026. https://www.msudenver.edu/aviation/
  8. Colorado Department of Higher Education aid. State / institution, accessed April 2026. https://highered.colorado.gov/students-parents/financial-aid
  9. MSU Denver aviation scholarships. State / institution, accessed April 2026. https://www.msudenver.edu/aviation/