Should Prospective Pilots Go to College?

Are the time and expense worth it after airline decisions to eliminate degree requirements?

Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 09:56 AM ET

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Michael Wildes makes the argument that college can offer you a lot more things than just a degree. But is it worth it for prospective pilots? [Photo: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Delta Air Lines has removed its college degree requirement for prospective pilots, a significant shift that challenges traditional pilot training paths and university programs.
Despite this change, the author still advocates for pursuing a college degree, highlighting its value for networking, social and personal development, and access to unique opportunities.
This policy shift is expected to reduce financial barriers for aspiring pilots by lowering student debt, while also pressuring colleges and universities to adapt by re-emphasizing the intangible benefits of higher education and potentially re-evaluating tuition costs.

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When I recently wrote about pursuing your CFI via the Part 61 route, my whole argument was based on the advantage that pilots who were enrolled in college pilot training programs had—that is, only being required to earn 1,000 hours of flight time for their restricted airline transport pilot certificate (R-ATP).

I didn’t anticipate that at the same time, Delta Air Lines was preparing its own press release, announcing that it would no longer require college degrees of applicant pilots.