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8 Answers

What is the best degree that you can get along with a pilot license?

Asked by: 19861 views General Aviation

What is the best degree that you can get along with a pilot license? Something related to aviation, that way its not completely different and can help if you discontinue with flying. Please help me. Thank You.

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8 Answers



  1. James on Nov 08, 2011

    Any degree from an accredited University is always a good thing to have.  However, if my kids wanted to choose an aviation career I would encourage them to earn a degree in a field besides aviation.  One never knows what the future holds, losing a medical, bad economy, etc.  Having a degree in another field allows you options in the future.    
     
    I personally have never come across a pilot application or interview that required me to have a degree in aviation.  That doesn’t mean that there aren’t those that don’t require an aviation degree.  Most applications simply require a degree.  I would look at applications for aviation jobs that you currently may not be qualified for but are interested in pursuing in your future.  This way you can see what is required and focus your training, education, and flight time towards meeting those requirements.   My degrees are in music and education.   I have been a corporate pilot and flight instructor for the past 10 years.  In my case I think having degrees in other fields have actually helped.     
     
    No matter what you field you decide to get a degree in, any degree from an accredited University is always a good thing to have.  Hope this helps and good luck.

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  2. JamesCFI on Nov 08, 2011

      I wouldnt get a aviation degree, also based on the resumes out there for the unemployed degrees dont seem to make a diffrences between canadates like they did in past generations.
     
     If you want a degree, just get a BA in marketing or business (something that might come in handy in general), if your short on time and cash you can do it online.

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  3. JamesCFI on Nov 08, 2011

    ALSO if you are trying to go the millitary or major airline route in your future career, you will NEED a 4 year degree and no they dont care in what (be it a BA in basketweaving or a BS in BS).

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  4. Matthew Waugh on Nov 08, 2011

    I have offered this advice before, and I stand by it. Get a degree in nursing.
     
    I can’t see there ever being an excessive number of nurses as the population ages and modern medicine insists on more and more care. In many (most) places there is a shortage of nurses – not long ago they were paying bonuses for nurses to join a staff, and given the shortages I bet you can get a flexible schedule that lets you fly and nurse – that taken together might get you a living wage.
     
    It’s not a glamorous option (all those sick people, ick), but I bet you’ll never be short of a job – and I wish we could say that about aviation!

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  5. Micah on Nov 08, 2011

    Economics.
     
    Just kidding (somewhat). You’re asking a loaded question, really, and none of us can offer any specific guidance. What you want is a degree that is flying related so that you can jump off into a related job. You should evaluate which flying-related jobs you’re interested in and pursue those. Do you want to teach at a university that has an aviation program? Get an advanced degree that is useful. Do you want to run an FBO? Do you want to work in airline management? Do you want to work for Boeing? Run a maintenance shop?
     
    There is no single degree that is useful in all of these endeavors and, although I like Matthew’s suggestion above, there aren’t many degrees that can lock you into a career that also require experience (I don’t expect you can get a great nursing job if you don’t have much recent experience, but maybe I’m wrong on that.)
     
    I think you want a degree that teaches you how to observe, think, and make good decisions. Most degrees can help with that somewhat, but I’m not aware of any form you can punch out that guarantees some future career. Pick out something that is interesting to you and also useful, and I would venture somewhat away from aviation… like economics (if I had to do it again.)

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  6. Paul A. Craig on Nov 08, 2011

    I am a two-time District Flight Instructor of the Year and I must disagree with some of my CFI colleagues on this question. The airlines do care which four-year degree you earn. Most regional and major airlines support the Aviation Accreditation Board Intenational, which is the organization of accredited aviation colleges and universities. A four-year degree will have a minor requirement, so there is your “fall-back” in the case of medical problems, etc. But here are the best reasons to earn a four-year aviation degree: Free money to fly and Internships. If your pilot certificates are also a requirement of the four-year degree, the cost of pilot training becomes an “educational expenses.” Educational expenses can be paid for with grants (free money), scholarships (free money and student loans (extremely low interest loans with no repayments until after g)raduation). You cannot get a government grant or scholarship or student loan for flight training if you are not in college and in a program that requires the pilot training for graduation. If you earn a degree in “basket weaving” you will have to pay for all of your flighht training yourself and you at best you loose the employment tie-breaker to a person who earned an aviation degree. Airlines, corporations and airports set up internships for students in aviation degree programs. An internship is like a foot in the door that nobody else gets. Many interships come with an interview at the end. Former interns beat out others for the jobs everyday. And if this were not enough – aviation degree programs have facilities (CRJ Flight Training Devices for instance) that FBOs and other flight schools just don’t have. If you go to a job interview with some jet FTD time, you will have a tremedous advantage over all other applicants without it. Bottom-line: you will need a four-year degree for the majors or the military. Without it your career will hit a dead end at some point. So if a four-year degree is, in practice, a requirement, you should stack the deck in your favor by graduating from an accredited aviation program with  least debt and the most advantages.
     

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  7. Micah on Nov 08, 2011

    Paul raises some important issues, but practically speaking I don’t think you will be able to fly in college-related aviation program unless you are enrolled in the degree program because the insurance costs (for the school) are prohibitive. 
     
    I did my flying at a university with such a program having already earned a degree elsewhere (went back to school) and it made sense for me because of the student loan element. I don’t think the classes were any significant challenge, however, and while I would never suggest it wasn’t a worthwhile degree, I don’t think that degree alone is going to add too much to anybody’s educational development. I suppose my suggestion to a student like Brenda should be more specific: attend a 4-year college (with reasonable costs) and pursue a double major, with one degree in aviation and another in a separate field.

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  8. Brian on Nov 09, 2011

    Get a 4 year degree in Enigmatology.
     
    In all seriousness, any technical or business degree would probably suit you well. The technical degrees would surely prove you’re smart enough to learn and possibly understand the detailed systems information required in the airlines. The business degree probably won’t give you any edge for an airline job. But for a small and growing charter/flight school/airport business it would be another brain in the company that’s aware of the management side of the coin.
     
    There is also military. Anyway take this with a grain of salt as I’ve no direct experience or knowledge to claim these degrees as superior to any other. I think the biggest reason for a degree is that you’ve set and met a goal. Any four year degree will show you have the capacity to achieve goals you’ve set. Even an aviation degree though, as others have said, it will give you no backup field and costs a fortune (this I know first hand).  

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