How to Make a Solid Financial Choice for Your Aviation Education

Learn how you can use a new study to get the best return on your investment.

Thursday, February 03, 2022 at 09:40 AM ET

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You should consider a variety of other factors if considering a collegiate aviation program, but value and return on investment are very important things to think about. [File Photo: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Aspiring professional pilots should leverage Preston Cooper's ROI study to compare college aviation programs, focusing on "air transportation" degrees by evaluating four-year costs (tuition and flight training expenses) against potential lifetime earnings.
The article identifies several universities offering strong ROI for under $100,000 in four-year education-related spending or low total tuition costs, guiding students towards more affordable options.
Despite the high upfront investment required for collegiate aviation programs, the substantial long-term earning potential for professional pilots makes the career financially worthwhile, with program prestige being less critical than acquiring the necessary ratings and flight experience.

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Of the many paths to professional piloting, college aviation programs are straightforward and efficient. However, many of these programs come with astronomical price tags. How can an aspiring aviator get the most bang for their buck when choosing an aviation university?

Powerful Data

Until recently, it would have been very difficult to compare our options. Thankfully though, an intrepid researcher named Preston Cooper just completed a project for the The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, and we now have an incredibly powerful tool for comparing aviation universities.