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 pilots can use Preston Cooper's ROI data, specifically for "air transportation" degrees, to compare college aviation programs by analyzing tuition and education-related spending against potential lifetime earnings.
The analysis identifies schools offering strong financial returns, such as over 100% lifetime earnings increase for less than $100,000 in four-year costs, or programs with very low overall tuition and spending.
Despite high initial costs, the investment in collegiate aviation programs is considered worthwhile due to the significant earning potential of professional pilots, leading to a strong long-term ROI.
The article advises prioritizing lower upfront program costs and timely completion over university prestige, as pilot employers primarily value 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.