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 leverage Preston Cooper's ROI data on "air transportation" degree programs to identify cost-effective university options by comparing four-year education-related spending and potential lifetime earnings increases.
Many schools offer strong ROI for under $100,000 in total education costs, and while initial flight training is expensive, the high earning potential of a professional pilot career makes the investment worthwhile in the long term.
The article suggests that the prestige of an aviation school is less important than acquiring the necessary ratings and flight experience, advising a focus on programs with lower upfront costs.

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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.