How Much Does an MEI Cost?
The multi-engine instructor (MEI) rating usually costs $2,500 to $5,000. Almost all of it is twin time. With no written test for a CFI who already holds the certificate, the bill is the multi-engine aircraft rate times the few hours it takes to polish teaching engine-out work from the right seat.
Typical cost
Added on top of your CFI, flown in a twin
Your number depends on your aircraft, region, and how often you fly. The free calculator gives you a figure tied to all three.
How we estimate this →
MEI cost breakdown: what you are paying for
| Item | Typical cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Twin timeMulti-engine aircraft rental wet, the largest part of the bill. | $270–$330/hr | Multi-engine aircraft rental wet, the largest part of the bill. |
| InstructionLearning to teach engine-out procedures and multi-engine maneuvers from the right seat. | Varies | Learning to teach engine-out procedures and multi-engine maneuvers from the right seat. |
| Checkride / DPE feeNo FAA written test is required (FAR 61.191). | $600–$900 | No FAA written test is required (FAR 61.191). |
No public dataset tracks MEI training hours; most finish near 5 to 10 dual hours in a twin. This starts from a small conservative increment and sharpens from your own logged flights.
What drives the cost
- The twin's hourly rate, which dominates the cost.
- How much multi time you already have when you start (15 hours multi PIC is required to be eligible).
How to keep it down
- Add the MEI right after your multi-engine rating, while twin time is still fresh.
- Build the required multi PIC efficiently so you need fewer dual hours.
Next leg · Your plan
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Your multi-engine instructor (mei) cost is the starting line. The free plan maps every step to the checkride with this number built in, one step at a time.
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Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI) cost questions
Is there a written test for the MEI?
No. Adding a flight-instructor rating you already hold the certificate for does not require another knowledge test (FAR 61.191), so the cost is almost entirely flight time.
Why is the MEI priced higher per hour than the CFII?
Because it has to be flown in a twin. The multi-engine aircraft rate is much higher than a single, so even a handful of hours adds up quickly.
Sources for these figures
The multi-engine instructor (mei) ranges above are anchored to public, citable data, not flight-school marketing. Here is what backs them.
- 14 CFR Part 61, Aeronautical Experience (eCFR)
U.S. FAA
The legal minimum hours for each certificate and rating (40 hours for a private pilot, 40 instrument hours for the instrument rating, 1,500 for an ATP). We use these as a disclosed floor where no reliable completion average exists.
- How Much Does It Really Cost to Rent a Cessna 172?
Leopard Aviation
The national aircraft rental benchmark, a Cessna 172 runs roughly $140 to $200 per hour wet, used to sanity-check the default rates and the regional adjustment. The estimator's default trainer rate itself ($160/hr) is the median published rate across the PilotBound flight-school directory.