Editor’s note: The following article is not intended to be a ranking, but is only to serve as a list of possible options. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary.
Interested in earning your pilot’s license in Houston, Texas? You’ve come to the right place to learn all about flight schools in Houston. Get an overview of the size and skill of the major schools, learn each school’s strengths, insights on flight school costs and the ideal options for your aviation education.
Quicklook: Flight Schools in Houston
- Texas Southern University
- Texas Lutheran University
- Baylor University
- Texas A&M University Central Texas
- San Jacinto College
5 Flight School Options in Houston
Many Houston flight schools offer instruction necessary to obtain a pilot’s license, but do they meet all of your necessary criteria for choosing the best flight school in Houston? Listed below are the 5 flight schools in Houston.
Texas Southern University
The college of science, engineering, and technology at Texas Southern University offers a bachelor of science degree in aviation science management, as well as, a bachelor of science degree in aviation management with professional pilot concentration.
Location: 3100 Cleburne Street, Houston, Texas 77004
Tuition & Fees: 2021-2022 academic school year costs:
- Undergraduate, On-Campus, In-State Tuition – $9,174 plus $15,000 for room/board and additional fees, totaling an estimated $24, 203.
- Undergraduate, On-Campus, Out-of-State Tuition is approximately, an additional $12,000, totaling an estimated $36,442.
Financial Assistance:
- Federal Financial Aid is accepted
- Student Loans are available
- Scholarships are available
- GEER Emergency Grant (Covid-19 relief)
- CARES Act Funding (Covid-19 relief)
Accreditation: Yes
Program Length: 4 year program requires a total of 120 credit hours — 44 hours are general education courses. The remaining 76 hours are assigned by the Department of Aviation Science.
Endorsements: None
School Size: Total enrollment is nearly 38,000 students with a student-to-teacher ratio of 20:1.
Job Placement: Yes
Virtual Learning: Online classes are offered for ground courses, however instructional pilot courses must be completed in person.
Texas Lutheran University
TLU is a small, affordable, private college located west of Houston, close to San Antonio, in Seguin, Texas. Majors are offered in Liberal Arts and professional programs.
Location: 1000 West Court Street, Seguin, Texas 78155
Tuition & Fees:
- Annual Tuition: $29,650
- Fees: $310
- Room and Board: $10,150
- Books: $1,000
Financial Assistance:
- First year students may qualify for several internal scholarships ranging from $7,000 to over $20,000 per year.
- External, transfer, music, media, alumni, and Lutheran scholarships are also available.
- Grants and student loans are accepted through the FAFSA program.
Accreditation: Yes
Program Length: TLU offers a 4 year program to earn a Bachelor’s in Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology
Endorsements: According to U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” ranks fourth overall, among regional colleges in the West. They also were listed as second for “Best Value”, fourth overall, and number five for social mobility.
School Size: TLU has a student population of 1,400 with an average class size of 19 students.
Job Placement: Yes
Virtual Learning: Yes
Baylor University
Baylor University’s Institute for Air Science provides state-of-the-art facilities for future graduates entering the aviation industry. Bachelor degree programs offered in Aviation Science and in Aviation Administration plus a complete college experience at one of the nation’s premier learning institutions, makes Baylor an excellent choice for flight school.
Location: Hankamer Academic Center, 1428 S 5th St #040, Waco, TX 76706
Tuition & Fees:
Annual Tuition — $50,232
Annual Room and Meals — $12,682
(6) Fixed Wing Flight Courses totaling 261 hours of instruction have an estimated total cost of $111,312 over the course of the four year Aviation Sciences program.
Financial Assistance:
Students may apply for traditional grants, need-based or merit-based scholarships, student employment and loans, but can also apply for specialized aviation education funding. This can be used to fund tuition and additional flight costs.
Accreditation: Yes
Program Length:
B.S. in Aviation Sciences — Professional Pilot, Airplane Concentration will prepare you for a commercial pilot level career along with a certified flight instructor certificate. The program requires 125 hours to complete, which most students accomplish in 4 years.
B.S. in Aviation Administration is also a 4 year program focused on the business aspects of the aviation industry.
School Size: Baylor enrolled 19,297 students in the fall of 2020. The average class size consists of 26 students.
Job Placement: Yes
Virtual Learning: Yes
Texas A&M University Central Texas
A member of the Texas A&M University System, Texas A&M Central Texas is located in Killeen, Texas and offers affordable degrees at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels. Two Bachelor of Science programs in Aviation are offered in both pilot training and administration.
Location: 1001 Leadership Place Killeen, TX 76549
Annual Tuition & Fees:
- Tuition — $3,121.00
- Fees — $385.00
- B&S — $700.00
- Room — $3,108.00
- Board — $1,611.00
- Transportation — $726.00
- Personal — $935.00
- Total — $10,586.00
Financial Assistance:
Texas A&M University Central Texas accepts grants and loans through the FAFSA program. Scholarships, tuition fee exemption programs, military aid programs, and other forms of tuition assistance are available.
Accreditation: Yes
Program Length:
Bachelor of Science, Professional Pilot — 120 credit hours, 4 year program
Bachelor of Science, Aviation Management — 120 credit hours, 4 year program
Endorsements: Council on Aviation Accreditations
School Size: 717 undergraduate students enrolled — 1:15 teacher/student ratio
Job Placement: Yes
Virtual Learning: Yes
San Jacinto College
San Jacinto College is a small public community college located in Pasadena, Texas with additional campuses throughout the Houston metro area. Known as a top flight school in Houston and their paramedic programs, SJC also offers logistics education and maritime trade courses.
Location: 8060 Spencer Hwy, Pasadena, TX 77505
Tuition & Fees:
Annual Tuition — $3.240 (In-state), $1,872 (In-district)
Housing — $8,240
Other — $4,794
Books — $1,641
Total cost for in-state, in-district — $16,577
Total cost for in-state, out-of-district — $17,945
Total cost for out-of-state, with no Texas residence — $19,745
Financial Assistance: San Jacinto College offers grants, low-interest student loans, campus employment opportunities, Houston area scholarships, and accepts traditional federal student aid (FAFSA). Tuition waivers and exemption programs are also available through the state of Texas.
Accreditation: Yes
Program Length:
Associate of Applied Science in Aeronautical Technology — Pilot Development and Aviation Management (70 hours/2 years)
Certificate of Technology — Pilot Development (Included in Associates)
Certificate of Technology — Commercial Pilot and Airport Management (35 Hours/1 year)
School Size: SJC has a total enrollment of 31, 110 with an average class size of 21 students per classroom.
Job Placement: Yes
Virtual Learning: Yes
How Does Flight School Training in Houston Work?
A pilot’s license or certificate provides a person the rights to fly an aircraft. It’s basically a driver’s license for an airplane. However, there are several categories and ratings for pilot’s licenses that establish what type of aircraft you can fly and where.
No matter the aircraft you’re planning to operate, you’ll need a pilot’s license to do so. But consider your goals in pursuing your license as it will impact the type of license you seek.
Some examples of different categories of licenses include a private pilot, commercial pilot, multi-crew pilot, and airline transport pilot. So before you get too far into the process of evaluating flight schools, you should consider what type of license you’re pursuing.
Once you have a commercial pilot license, you can carry passengers for money. The average base salary for a pilot in Houston is $74,415, according to Indeed. Your work opportunities range from working for an airline to the US Department of Transportation. You could serve as a corporate pilot for an organization whose employees or business partners fly privately instead of commercially.
Or, if you pursue a private pilot’s license, you could become an aircraft salesperson. Because of commission, the income for these jobs will vary, but you could make as much as $250,000 a year if you’re skilled in sales.
Houston Flight School Facts & Figures
Houston is a great place to pursue a career as a pilot. According to Zippia, it’s the eighth best city to pursue a pilot’s license due to the job opportunities and salary ranges. Thankfully, you have great options when looking for a Houston flight school.
Number of Schools
There are twenty four flight schools in the Houston area. The majority of the flight schools in Houston are on the south side of the city and Houston flight schools tend to be located near the city’s three airports.
Number of Students per Class
The average number of Houston flight school students per class during ground instruction is 22 students. Instructor led pilot training is conducted 1 on 1.
Tuition Rates
The final cost of obtaining your pilot’s license will depend on the type of license you pursue and the school that you choose. The average cost to get your license is $10,600. This includes some classroom time and several hours in a plane flying. A four-year aviation degree program can increase total costs to upwards of $50,000.
Average Loan Amount
The average college student in Houston graduates with $32,613 in school loan debt.
Scholarship
Scholarship amounts for flight schools in Houston can range from $1,000 up to $12,000 per student. The FAA provides a comprehensive list of available aviation scholarships.
Job Placement
Many flight schools will offer job placement assistance in the form of direct employment or a guaranteed interview dependent upon the agreement between the school and the employer. Houston flight schools will also offer employment to graduates to assist in the continuation of training new pilots.
Houston Pilot Employment Facts & Figures
The U.S. is currently experiencing a pilot shortage and the Houston, Texas area certainly has a plethora of opportunities for those trained in various sectors of aviation technology.
Employment
The most recent annual bureau of labor statistics report indicates there are 960 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers employed in the Houston metro area, which includes the sprawling suburbs of The Woodlands and Sugarland, according to BLS.gov.
The average salaries listed in the chart below are indicative of those in the top three positions of Commercial Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers and do not include all pilots and positions in the aviation industry.
| Biggest Employer | Average Salary | Full or Part Time Pilots |
| United Airlines | $163,974 | 87 |
| Southwest Airlines | $244, 800 | 10 |
| U.S. Army | $71, 848 | 35 |
| American Airlines | $177, 588 | 11 |
| JetLinx Airlines | $135, 285 | 10 |
Salary
Houston pilots — including pilots of all skill levels and experience — can expect to earn an average salary of $58,506 per year according to ZipRecruiter This breaks down to a monthly income of $4,876, a weekly income of $1,125, or an hourly income of $28.13. Top earning pilots, however, can reach a salary near $250,000 per year.
Pilots Are in Demand – Take Off in a Rewarding Aviation Career Today!
You are now armed with all of the knowledge necessary to begin an exciting journey towards a rewarding career in aviation! You know how much flight school in Houston costs, how to become a pilot in Houston, and which are the top flight schools in Texas.
All you have to do, NOW, is to choose the perfect flight school in Houston for your specific career goals, turn in your applications for enrollment and financial aid prior to their deadlines, and prepare to embark on the greatest adventure of your life!
Get your subscription to FLYING Magazine, today, to stay informed of the latest aviation industry trends, technical training, flight education, employment opportunities, and additional, valuable information that can propel you to unimagined heights!
FAQ
Flight school in Houston will vary in cost, depending on the type of pilot’s license and/or certificates earned and the school that you attend. The average cost of flight school in Houston, resulting in a pilot’s license is $10,600. A four-year aviation bachelor of science in aviation degree program can increase total costs to upwards of $50,000 in tuition, housing, flight time, and additional fees.
To become a pilot in Houston, TX, you must train at a flight school or aviation college with a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). To obtain a private pilot’s license it is required to obtain a medical clearance, total a minimum of 40 hours of flight time along with 10 hours of ground courses, and a passing grade on the FAA private pilot exam.
