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.
Flight school in Colorado costs $13,000 to $18,000 for a Private Pilot License, with Cessna 172 wet rental at $190 to $230/hr and CFI instruction at $65 to $90/hr. Full career-track training from zero to ATP minimums runs roughly $110,000 (traditional path) to $123,995 (ATP Flight School fixed price).
Metro-tier breakdown
| Metro | Cessna 172 wet | CFI 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 |
FAA-certificated Part 141 flight schools in Colorado (alphabetical)
Every 14 CFR Part 141 pilot-school location the FAA lists in Colorado: 18 locations under 15 air agency certificates, #10 of 51 states and territories, clustered in Broomfield (2), Grand Junction (2) and Loveland (2). 18 have a page with the FAA record, nearest airport and peer schools; all are locatable. Part 61 instructors are not certificated and are not listed.
18 of 18 FAA locations plotted. Hollow pins (3) sit at a ZIP centroid rather than the street address.
Chart tiles: OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, data from OpenStreetMap. Boundaries: US Census Bureau cartographic boundary files (public domain). School positions: US Census geocoder; airfields: FAA NASR.
| School (FAA agency name) | City | From you | Nearest public airport | Certificate | Designator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIMS Community College | Loveland | KFNL Northern Colorado Regional, 0.7 mi | MG8S319Q | MG8S | |
| Arapahoe Flight Club LLC | Colorado Springs | KCOS City of Colorado Springs Municipal, 1.3 mi | AHFS072M | AHFS | |
| ATP Flight Academy | Englewood | KAPA Centennial, 0.5 mi | Z8FS785K | 0114 | |
| Cae USA Inc | Pueblo | KPUB Pueblo Meml, 0.9 mi | 5DOS353C | 5DOS | |
| Colorado Mesa University Tech | Grand Junction | KGJT Grand Junction Regional, 0.2 mi | 6WCS952L | 2W0S | |
| Colorado Mesa University Tech | Grand Junction | KGJT Grand Junction Regional, 3.7 mi | 6WCS952L | 6WCS | |
| Colorado Northwestern Community College | Rangely | 4V0 Rangely, 0.3 mi | MB8S314Q | MB8S | |
| Direct Connect Flight Academy | Peyton | KFLY Meadow Lake, 0.8 mi | DC1S400L | DC1S | |
| Epic Aviation, Inc | Inglewood | KAPA Centennial, 0.3 mi | EPXS700K | 0135 | |
| Front Range Helicopters LLC | Loveland | KFNL Northern Colorado Regional, 0.3 mi | 3FRS901K | 3FRS | |
| McAir AviationCertificate holder: Redstone Education, LP | Broomfield | KBJC Rocky Mountain Metro, 0.6 mi | Y61S816K | Y61S | |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | Denver | KBJC Rocky Mountain Metro, 13 mi | MSAS370L | MSAS | |
| Redstone Education, LP | Watkins | KCFO Colorado Air and Space Port, 5.8 mi (approx.) | Y61S816K | 0156 | |
| Rocky Mountain Ussf Flight Training Center | Peterson Afb | KCOS City of Colorado Springs Municipal, 1.3 mi (approx.) | LJ8S296Q | LJ8S | |
| Skywarrior Flight Training LLC | Pueblo | KPUB Pueblo Meml, 0.9 mi | 502S998K | 0159 | |
| U S A F Academy Aero Club | Usafa | KCOS City of Colorado Springs Municipal, 13 mi | O3BS567K | O3BS | |
| Western Air Flight Academy | Watkins | KCFO Colorado Air and Space Port, 5.8 mi (approx.) | WQ5S788K | 1Q5S | |
| Western Air Flight Academy | Broomfield | KBJC Rocky Mountain Metro, 0.6 mi | WQ5S788K | WQ5S |
Listed alphabetically, never ranked. Hover or tap a row to light its pin on the plate, and use the location button to sort the list by distance from you. Source: FAA AV-Info "Find a Facility", 14 CFR Part 141 pilot schools, public domain, data updated 24 Aug 2026; status as reported by the FAA on that date. Nearest public-use airport from FAA NASR (effective 6 August 2026). See the national Part 141 directory for every state.
Published pricing anchors behind the Colorado range
The PPL, Cessna 172 and CFI bands above are aggregated from these schools' published pricing pages (verified April 2026). They are pricing evidence, not a recommendation; the FAA list above is the authority on who is certificated.
| School | Location | Published pricing | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATP Flight School | Denver / Centennial | ACPP fixed pricing $123,995 / $90,995 with PPL | View |
| Aspen Flying Club | Centennial | Club rates published per aircraft | View |
| Mountain Aviation | Broomfield | Per-hour, see published rates | View |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver Aviation | Broomfield (Rocky Mountain Metro) | Collegiate aviation tuition + fees | View |
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. Some of the FAA-listed Part 141 schools above are VA-approved, but the FAA list does not record VA approval; verify each school 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.
Colorado flight school cost: frequently asked questions
How many FAA-certificated Part 141 flight schools are in Colorado?
The FAA's Part 141 pilot-school list (data updated 24 Aug 2026) carries 18 certificated locations in Colorado under 15 air agency certificates, ranking the state #10 of 51 states and territories by location count. The largest clusters are Broomfield (2), Grand Junction (2) and Loveland (2). 11 of the 18 listed addresses are under a mile from a public-use airport. The full list is on this page; Part 61 instructors are not certificated and so do not appear.
How much does flight school cost in Colorado?
A Private Pilot License (PPL) in Colorado costs roughly $13,000 to $18,000 all-in, aggregated across named-school published pricing. That covers aircraft rental, instructor time, ground school, exams, and supplies through the FAA checkride. Full career-track training from zero to ATP minimums runs far higher, on the order of $110,000 via the traditional path or $123,995 via the ATP Flight School fixed-price programme.
What is the hourly Cessna 172 rental rate in Colorado?
Cessna 172 wet rental (fuel included) in Colorado runs about $190 to $230 per hour, varying by metro and school. Denver / Centennial sits around $195 to $235 per hour for a wet rate.
How much do flight instructors (CFIs) charge in Colorado?
CFI instruction in Colorado typically costs $65 to $90 per hour, whether an independent instructor or Part 141 staff. CFI time is billed on top of aircraft rental, not instead of it.
Does the Post-9/11 GI Bill cover flight training in Colorado?
Yes, but only at VA-approved Part 141 schools, and coverage begins at the Instrument Rating rather than the PPL (it requires a current PPL and FAA medical in hand). For the 2026-2027 academic year (effective 1 August 2026), the Post-9/11 GI Bill pays the net cost of vocational Part 141 flight training up to $17,662 a year. Confirm a school's VA approval at VA.gov before enrolling.
Continue reading
Primary sources
- Pilot License Cost. AOPA, accessed April 2026. https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/students/pilot-license-cost
- AV-Info Find a Facility: 14 CFR Part 141 Pilot Schools. Federal Aviation Administration, data updated 24 Aug 2026, captured 28 August 2026. https://www.faa.gov/av-info/facility-dashboard
- NASR 28-day subscription, airport data (APT_BASE), effective 6 August 2026. FAA Aeronautical Information Services, accessed August 2026. https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/aero_data/NASR_Subscription/
- Climate Normals (VFR-day data). NOAA, accessed April 2026. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals
- ATP Flight School published pricing page (pricing anchor). Denver / Centennial, accessed April 2026. https://atpflightschool.com/locations/
- Aspen Flying Club published pricing page (pricing anchor). Centennial, accessed April 2026. https://www.aspenflyingclub.com/
- Mountain Aviation published pricing page (pricing anchor). Broomfield, accessed April 2026. https://mountainaviation.com/
- Metropolitan State University of Denver Aviation published pricing page (pricing anchor). Broomfield (Rocky Mountain Metro), accessed April 2026. https://www.msudenver.edu/aviation/
- Colorado Department of Higher Education aid. State / institution, accessed April 2026. https://highered.colorado.gov/students-parents/financial-aid
- MSU Denver aviation scholarships. State / institution, accessed April 2026. https://www.msudenver.edu/aviation/