Ever dreamed of soaring through the skies as a pilot? Aviation college could be your ticket to the clouds! The best aviation schools offer top-notch education in flying planes and understanding the science behind it all. They set you up for exciting careers as private, commercial, or cargo pilots. If you’re not a fan of desk jobs, this field offers some pretty sweet perks – breathtaking views, flexible schedules, and the satisfaction of safely getting people where they need to go. It’s definitely one of the coolest career paths out there!
Best Aviation Colleges – What You’ll Learn and How You’ll Prepare
Starting your journey to become a commercial or airline pilot usually begins with getting a bachelor’s degree in aviation. Learning to fly isn’t just about the controls – you’ll need to really understand how planes work and the science behind flight. You’ll take classes in things like aeronautics, weather patterns, safety procedures, aviation laws, and leadership skills. Of course, you’ll also spend plenty of time actually flying planes!
Keep in mind that on top of regular tuition, you’ll need to budget for extra costs like certifications and training. It’s a good idea to look closely at what each college charges for these extras.
Best Aviation Colleges – What Your Future Could Look Like
After graduation, you can look forward to some pretty great job opportunities in a field that’s steadily growing. According to the experts at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, airline and commercial pilots made around $171,210 a year on average in 2022. They also predict the field will grow about 4% from 2022 to 2032, which is about average for most jobs.
Aviation is an exciting and well-paying career that keeps you on your toes. You’ll face new challenges every day, constantly learn new things hands-on, and solve problems in real-time.
The 17 Best Aviation Colleges
Ready to find out which aviation colleges are the cream of the crop? There are almost as many different aviation programs as there are types of planes in the sky! Check out these top-notch schools to see which one might be the perfect fit for you.
Just remember: This list takes into account things like what other people say about the schools, unique programs they offer, and how well their graduates do in their careers. It’s a great starting point, but don’t think of it as the be-all and end-all of school quality.
1. Purdue University
Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana is a big name in aviation education. They offer seven different aviation majors for undergrads. Whether you want to be a pilot, an engineer, or manage airports and airlines, Purdue has you covered. They’ve got great connections in the industry, setting up internships with airlines like Envoy, Frontier, and Atlas Air.
- Yearly In-State Tuition: $9,992
- Yearly Out-of-State Tuition: $28,794
- Where it’s at: West Lafayette, Indiana
2. Ohio State University’s Aviation College
Ohio State University is a top-notch flight school, not just in the USA but around the world. It’s a big school with about 45,800 undergrads, and its Center for Aviation Studies is considered one of the best. Getting in isn’t too tough – about 53% of applicants are accepted, with that number going up to 59% for early applicants. Ohio State is famous for its great aviation programs, offering a bunch of skilled undergraduate and graduate degrees in aviation.
- Tuition Fees: The cost of tuition ranges from $4,223 to $10,023, depending on whether you’re from Ohio or not.
- Where it’s at: Columbus, Ohio
3. Auburn University
Auburn University has been teaching pilots for over 80 years – talk about experience! They offer majors in professional flight and aviation management, plus you can minor in either if you’re studying something else. Auburn’s tight with major airlines like Delta, Jet Blue, Southwest, and United, which is part of why it’s considered one of the best aviation schools around.
- Yearly In-State Tuition: $12,890
- Yearly Out-of-State Tuition: $34,922
- Where it’s at: Auburn, Alabama
4. Baylor University
Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian school in Waco, Texas. They offer majors in aviation sciences and aviation administration with a faith-based twist. If you’re into flying, you can focus on airplanes or helicopters in the aviation sciences major. The teachers have tons of experience in commercial, corporate, and military flying. Baylor’s also got a cool Aviation Internship in Industry program where you can earn a bunch of credits while prepping for your aviation career.
- Yearly Tuition: $54,844
- Where it’s at: Waco, Texas
5. Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is pretty impressive – they’ve got 28 Cirrus SR20 planes just for training pilots! That makes them the biggest flight school in the Midwest. You can major in aviation flight science, aviation technical operations, or aviation management. If you’re thinking about joining the military after college, they’ve got a strong ROTC program too.
- Yearly In-State Tuition: $15,074
- Yearly Out-of-State Tuition: $18,842
- Where it’s at: Kalamazoo, Michigan
6. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is pretty special – they’ve got majors for flying both regular planes and helicopters. They’re considered one of the best aviation schools by Grad Reports, and their Golden Eagles Flight Team has won a ton of championships. Students here get to connect with big names in aviation like United, JetBlue, and Delta.
- Yearly Tuition: $42,408
- Where it’s at: Prescott, Arizona
7. CAE Oxford Aviation Academy
For 85 years, the CAE Aviation Academy has been one of the best places to learn how to fly. They’ve got schools all over the place – in Amsterdam, Brussels, Gondia, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Perth, Phoenix, and Rae Bareli. This European flight school is great at teaching different types of pilot licenses. They’ve got more than 200 planes and train over 2,000 new pilots every year!
Degrees Offered: CAE teaches courses for becoming an airline pilot, a commercial pilot, or a multi-crew pilot. They’re really good at taking beginners and turning them into fully qualified pilots.
- Tuition Fees: Studying at CAE costs between $4,500 and $5,500 for a Bachelor’s degree, $3,700 to $7,500 for a Master’s degree, and $14,000 to $15,500 for a PhD program.
- Where it’s at: Multiple locations worldwide
8. Kansas State University
Kansas State University’s Salina campus has all sorts of aviation majors and certificates to get you ready for different careers. If you’ve already got a pilot’s license, you can get a bachelor’s in professional aviation online. If you’re just starting out, they’ve got a professional pilot degree where you’ll learn to fly while you study. KSU accepts almost everyone who applies (98%!) and they really try to keep costs down with financial aid and special aviation scholarships.
- Yearly In-State Tuition: $11,876
- Yearly Out-of-State Tuition: $28,348
- Where it’s at: Salina, Kansas
9. Florida Institute of Technology
Florida Tech has one of the biggest aviation programs in the country. They offer tons of different degrees, from associate’s to bachelor’s, in all sorts of aviation fields. Want to be a pilot? Check out their aeronautical science degree. They’ve even got options to join ROTC or programs that can lead to jobs with ExpressJet or Delta. If you want to keep studying after your bachelor’s, they offer master’s degrees in aviation and even a fast-track MBA program.
- Yearly Tuition: $44,620
- Where it’s at: Melbourne, Florida
10. University of Oklahoma
Flying Magazine says the University of Oklahoma is one of the best aviation schools in the country. You can study aviation management or train to be a professional pilot. Students here get chances to work (paid and volunteer) with big names like Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and UPS. Compared to other aviation programs, the tuition here is pretty reasonable.
- Yearly In-State Tuition (for aviation majors): $20,070
- Yearly Out-of-State Tuition (for aviation majors): $37,140
- Where it’s at: Norman, Oklahoma
11. Ohio University
Ohio University gives you options – you can get a two-year or four-year degree in aviation. The two-year program covers all the basics: private pilot certification, instrument rating, and a commercial pilot certificate. If you go for the bachelor’s degree, you’ll also learn about business management, weather patterns, and advanced flying techniques for working in crews or corporate settings.
- Yearly In-State Tuition: $13,746
- Yearly Out-of-State Tuition: $24,114
- Where it’s at: Athens, Ohio
12. University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota has one of the most complete aviation programs out there. You can major in commercial aviation, aviation studies, aviation safety and operations, or aviation management. They were also the first school in the country to offer training in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) – you know, drones! Students in the UAS program get to work with big companies like Northrop Grumman, General Atomics, and SkySkopes.
- Yearly In-State Tuition: $12,680
- Yearly Out-of-State Tuition: $31,870
- Where it’s at: Grand Forks, North Dakota
13. Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University has something pretty cool – there’s a regional airport right on campus, just a short walk from where students live! You can major in flight technology and operations or aviation management and operations. They also offer an Army ROTC class if you’re thinking about joining the military. Recently, BGSU spent $5 million to upgrade their planes, expand their flight operations, and add some super high-tech flight simulators.
- Yearly In-State Tuition: $13,519
- Yearly Out-of-State Tuition: $21,507
- Where it’s at: Bowling Green, Ohio
14. Utah State University
At Utah State University, you can choose to focus on flying planes, helicopters, or even drones. The school is at the foot of the beautiful Wellsville Mountains, so you’ll have some amazing views while you learn! USU has a complete aviation program that includes lots of hands-on flight training. They also help students kick-start their careers with internships and special programs with airlines like SkyWest, Envoy, and American Airlines.
- Yearly In-State Tuition: $9,228
- Yearly Out-of-State Tuition: $25,744
- Where it’s at: Logan, Utah
15. South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University offers two main tracks in their aviation degree: aviation education or aviation maintenance management. If you do really well in the education track, you might even get to be a flight instructor in your last couple of years. If you choose maintenance management, you’ll spend a lot of time in the hangar working on actual planes. Their out-of-state tuition is lower than many other schools, and you’ll get plenty of one-on-one attention here.
- Yearly In-State Tuition: $9,299
- Yearly Out-of-State Tuition: $12,809
- Where it’s at: Brookings, South Dakota
16. Saint Louis University
At Saint Louis University, you can get a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics with a focus on either aviation management or flight science – perfect if you want to be a professional pilot. SLU students have done internships with big airlines like Delta, Southwest, JetBlue, and United. It’s a private Jesuit university, which means smaller classes and more personalized flight instruction. That’s why it’s considered one of the top aviation schools in the country.
- Yearly Tuition: $52,260
- Where it’s at: St. Louis, Missouri
17. San José State University
San José State University gives aviation fans four different majors to choose from: aviation management, flight operations, professional flight, and maintenance management. If you want to be a pilot, the professional flight major teaches you all the basics plus advanced stuff about how planes work and their electronic systems. SJSU also has a special internship course where you can earn college credit while getting real work experience.
- Yearly In-State Tuition: $7,852
- Yearly Out-of-State Tuition: $12,604
- Where it’s at: San Jose, California
How to Pick the Best Aviation College for You
Unlike broader fields like communications or sociology, aviation degrees are pretty specialized and include a lot of hands-on career training. When you’re looking at aviation programs, think about what specific area of aviation you want to focus on. Do you want to fly for a major airline, join the military, or work with drones? Different schools offer different specialties. Beyond that, think about things like where the school is located, how much it costs, what the campus is like, and what internship opportunities they offer. All of these factors can help you get the most out of your college experience!
