How We Ranked These Flight Schools

Partnerships with aviation companies help students get a jump start to their career before they graduate. Because of the value that industry partners bring, schools were ranked based on the number of partnerships held. 

Learning to fly, especially in conjunction with pursuing a degree, can be very expensive. Most affordable schools may be more attractive to prospective students. The rankings for value are based on academic and flight costs added together and do not factor in any scholarships or financial aid. 

Cost 

Every flight school has a fleet of aircraft for students to utilize in their flight training. While the fundamentals of flying are similar in all aircraft types, up-to- date fleets and similar platforms when transitioning can all play a role in how long a student stays in the program, the investment they put into training, and overall convenience. 

Points were given according to how many airframe types a school offers:

Students who attend a college or university for flight school may want to experience traditional college life as part of their training. Some schools offer full college living with sports and clubs, while others offer a simpler menu.. Accelerated flight schools with no degree attachment were not ranked on campus life. 

One point each for:

For flight students, commuting to the airport is part of their college schedule and a long commute may be a negative when picking a school. On the other hand, some colleges and universities have an onsite airport for the convenience of the students. This ranking was determined by the commute a student must take to get to the flight line. 

A school was given a bonus point if it is a PSI testing center.

As schools grow, there is a possibility that its ranking may change. We will monitor for school changes, school rankings  will be updated if any of the above information changes.