FLYING’s Flight School Guide, which launched in June, is a valuable tool for students looking for the right flight school, aviation college, or university for them.
Each student has a vision of what that school should be like. For some, that means a large university with Division I football games to attend on the weekends, but for others, an accelerated program leading to a career in as little as 12 months is the right track.
To help you make an informed decision on which school may be the right fit, we’ve gathered information and ranked each program in five categories, awarding 10 points for each:
● Career/Industry Partnerships
● Value
● Campus Life
● Fleet
● Facilities/Location
For a detailed breakdown on how we rated each school, please visit our page on FLYING‘s flight school scoring methodology.
Below is a list of all the colleges/universities within the U.S. that offer aviation flight programs and their overall rankings out of 50, with the University of Oklahoma topping the list.
#1 Ranked Aviation College: 43/50 Points
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma received high marks in all categories.
- 9/10 in Career/Industry Partnerships: Dedication to solidifying partnerships with airlines such as Southwest and Envoy to provide students with a high probability of placement post graduation.
- 9/10 in Value: For a large, well-known university, both tuition and flight training costs for the University of Oklahoma come in below average. OU also gives veteran students the option to utilize VA benefits for flight training.
- 9/10 in Fleet: A well thought out, up-to-date fleet gives OU high marks in Fleet. Flight students also have access to advanced aircraft simulators.
- 8/10 in Facilities/Location: OU’s main campus is only about a 10 minute drive from the airfield where students undergo flight training. This facility gives students room to study, plan flights, and complete post-flight training with instructors.
- 8/10 in Campus Life: The University of Oklahoma is a large D1 school which means they score high in overall campus life. Students can join hundreds of school organizations, like Greek Life, and attend large SEC football games on the weekends.
#2 Ranked Aviation Colleges: 42/50 Points
Schools that scored 42/50 total points offer perks in all of the ranked categories. Career partnerships to assist students in gaining meaningful employment after graduation, a reasonable flight training cost and tuition, a well thought out fleet of training aircraft, high-class facilities for aviation students, and a lively campus life. These schools should be high on the list when considering an aviation education.
- Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus
- Purdue University
- University of North Dakota
- Western Michigan University
#3 Ranked Aviation Colleges: 41/50 Points
Schools that scored 41/50 total points also offer a solid aviation education. These schools may be perfect for those looking for a smaller school that can offer personalized instruction.
The remaining schools in the U.S. are still strong options. Here’s where they ranked in FLYING‘s assessment.
| Rank | School | Score |
| #4 | Kent State University Lewis University Ohio State University Oklahoma State University Southeastern Oklahoma University Big Bend Community College Bowling Green State University | 40 |
| #5 | Baylor University California Aeronautical University Delta State University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Institute of Aviation-Parkland College Liberty University Middle Tennessee State University University of Cincinnati University of Nebraska Lehigh-Carbon Community College | 39 |
| #6 | Auburn University Florida Memorial University Indiana State University Mt. San Antonio College Henderson State University | 38 |
| #7 | Cochise College Jacksonville University Minnesota State U- Mankato San Diego Christian College Southern Illinois University Texas State Technical College University of Maryland-Eastern Shore University of Central Missouri Aviator College of Aeronautical Science and Technology | 37 |
| #8 | California Baptist University Colorado Northwestern Comm. College Delaware State University LeTourneau University Metropolitan State University of Denver Miami Dade University Parkland College San Jose State University University of Dubuque Utah State University Louisiana Tech Middle Georgia State University South Dakota State Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College Moody Bible Institute Sinclair Community College | 36 |
| #9 | Arizona State University Ohio University Orange Coast College Saint Louis University Clover Park Technical College Community College of Baltimore County Eastern Kentucky University Gallatin State College of Montana State University Gateway Technical College Green River College Lane Community College Ozarka College | 35 |
| #10 | Farmingdale State College Mercer County Community College Southern Utah University Andrews University Community College of Allegheny County Community College of Beaver County Eastern Michigan University Florida State College-Jacksonville Lake Superior College Vincennes University | 34 |
| #11 | Averett University Fox Valley Technical College Quincy University Texas Southern University Northwestern Michigan College Tulsa Community College University of Alaska- Anchorage | 33 |
| #12 | Florida Institute of Technology Hampton University Polk State College Western Colorado Community College Rocky Mountain College Vermont Technical College | 32 |
| #13 | Bridgewater State University Lynn University Southwestern Illinois College Vaughn College Central Washington College Hesston College William Jessup University | 31 |
| #14 | Academy College Eastern Mennonite University | 30 |
To see a detailed view of each school, visit FLYING’s Flight School Guide.
