Flight School Cost in Tennessee: PPL Pricing, Named Schools, and Hourly Rates for 2026
Nashville hub growing. Lower cost of living. Strong Cessna / Beechcraft general aviation culture.
Flight school in Tennessee costs $11,500 to $16,500 for a Private Pilot License, with Cessna 172 wet rental at $175 to $215/hr and CFI instruction at $55 to $80/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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville | $180 to $220/hr | $60 to $85/hr |
| Memphis | $175 to $215/hr | $55 to $80/hr |
| Knoxville / Tri-Cities | $175 to $210/hr | $55 to $80/hr |
| Chattanooga | $175 to $215/hr | $55 to $80/hr |
FAA-certificated Part 141 flight schools in Tennessee (alphabetical)
Every 14 CFR Part 141 pilot-school location the FAA lists in Tennessee: 10 locations under 10 air agency certificates, #22 of 51 states and territories, clustered in Memphis (3), Clarksville (1) and Gallatin (1). 10 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.
10 of 10 FAA locations plotted. Hollow pins (1) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Peay State University | Clarksville | KCKV Outlaw Field, 0.3 mi | 7PYS379L | 7PYS | |
| Frequency Change Aviation | Nashville | KJWN John C Tune, 4.7 mi (approx.) | 1WES297L | 1WES | |
| Gallatin | Gallatin | KXNX Music City Executive, 1.1 mi | UZCS289K | 3ZCS | |
| Highland Rim Aviation LLC | Springfield | M91 Springfield Robertson County, 0.2 mi | HRAS427L | HRAS | |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro | KMBT Murfreesboro Municipal, 0.4 mi | CA8S053Q | CA8S | |
| Sanders Flight Training Center Inc | Memphis | KMEM Frederick W Smith International/Memphis, 0.8 mi | 5F2S974L | 0034 | |
| Sevier County Aviation, Inc | Sevierville | KGKT Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge, 0.2 mi | 8DIS912C | 8DIS | |
| Southwest Tennessee Community College | Memphis | 2M8 Charles W Baker, 8.9 mi | SWCS084M | SWCS | |
| University of Memphis | Memphis | KMEM Frederick W Smith International/Memphis, 5.7 mi | UOMS080M | UOMS | |
| Wings of Eagles Aviation LLC | Smyrna | KMQY Smyrna, 0.5 mi | 8WGS395L | 8WGS |
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 Tennessee 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 | Nashville | ACPP fixed pricing $123,995 / $90,995 with PPL | View |
| Nashville Flight Training | John C. Tune (KJWN) | Per-hour, see published rates | View |
| Middle Tennessee State University Aerospace | Murfreesboro | Collegiate aviation tuition + fees | View |
| Sky Tennessee Aviation | Multiple TN locations | Per-hour, see published rates | View |
Pricing is current to April 2026 from the published source. Verify with the school at the time of enrolment.
Tennessee-specific cost factors
- Lower cost of living than coastal hubs
- MTSU aerospace is one of the largest collegiate aviation programmes in the Southeast
- Nashville job market active for regional FOs
- Modest weather day losses, good year-round flying
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.
Tennessee-specific programmes:
VA-approved Part 141 schools in Tennessee
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.
Tennessee flight school cost: frequently asked questions
How many FAA-certificated Part 141 flight schools are in Tennessee?
The FAA's Part 141 pilot-school list (data updated 24 Aug 2026) carries 10 certificated locations in Tennessee under 10 air agency certificates, ranking the state #22 of 51 states and territories by location count. The largest clusters are Memphis (3), Clarksville (1) and Gallatin (1). 6 of the 10 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 Tennessee?
A Private Pilot License (PPL) in Tennessee costs roughly $11,500 to $16,500 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 Tennessee?
Cessna 172 wet rental (fuel included) in Tennessee runs about $175 to $215 per hour, varying by metro and school. Nashville sits around $180 to $220 per hour for a wet rate.
How much do flight instructors (CFIs) charge in Tennessee?
CFI instruction in Tennessee typically costs $55 to $80 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 Tennessee?
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). Nashville, accessed April 2026. https://atpflightschool.com/locations/
- Nashville Flight Training published pricing page (pricing anchor). John C. Tune (KJWN), accessed April 2026. https://nashvilleflighttraining.com/
- Middle Tennessee State University Aerospace published pricing page (pricing anchor). Murfreesboro, accessed April 2026. https://www.mtsu.edu/aerospace/
- Sky Tennessee Aviation published pricing page (pricing anchor). Multiple TN locations, accessed April 2026. https://skytnaviation.com/
- Tennessee HOPE Scholarship. State / institution, accessed April 2026. https://www.tn.gov/collegepays/money-for-college/state-of-tennessee-programs/tennessee-hope-scholarship.html
- MTSU Aerospace scholarships. State / institution, accessed April 2026. https://www.mtsu.edu/aerospace/