The Best Aviation and Aeronautics Schools in the U.S.

These days, those with a bachelor’s degree along with their pilot’s license have the best chance at landing a job. Luckily, there are a number of excellent aviation schools across the country, so you can get that college experience along with your flight time.

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

  • Location: Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona
  • Programs Offered: Associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees; focuses in aviation business administration, aviation maintenance, aeronautics, aeronautical engineering, air traffic maintenance, and more.
  • Approximate Cost: $30,000 in tuition per year.
  • Why It’s Great: Embry Riddle has a track record of churning out highly qualified pilots and astronauts. In fact, two of Embry Riddle’s alumni will be crewmates on the space shuttle Discovery’s final mission. The school is ranked number 10 among southern universities by U.S. News and World Report and it offers a wide range of aviation programs.

Arizona State University

  • Location: Phoenix, Arizona
  • Programs Offered: Bachelor’s degrees in air traffic management, air transportation management, professional flight, and aviation management technology.
  • Approximate Cost: $7,600 a year in-state, $22,000 a year out of state.
  • Why It’s Great: You’ll find year-round flying weather in Arizona and be able to study at one of the nation’s top-ranked aviation departments. ASU’s aviation department has partnerships with Mesa Air Group, one of the largest regional airlines in the country, that lets pilots intern and score potential jobs upon graduation.

Ohio State University

  • Location: Columbus, Ohio
  • Programs Offered: Bachelor’s degrees in aviation management and professional pilot.
  • Approximate Cost: $9,000 a year in-state, $24,000 a year out of state.
  • Why It’s Great: What could be more exciting for a future pilot than studying at a school with its own full-service airport, with radar, an air traffic control tower, and aircraft maintenance facilities? The school also has its own training aircraft in varying sizes and makes, to give budding pilots a chance to practice flying right on campus. The college also has partnerships with many public and private firms, like Midwest Airtraffic Control and NetJets, that provide mentorships, internships, and entry-level positions to graduates.

University of North Dakota

  • Location: Forks, North Dakota
  • Programs Offered: Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in air traffic control, airport management, aviation technology, commercial aviation, helicopter aviation, and aviation management.
  • Approximate Cost: $7,000 a year in-state, $16,000 a year out of state.
  • Why It’s Great: UND Aerospace is a huge program, with over 120 training aircraft, 12 aircraft simulators, and a new $83 million aviation complex. The program offers a wide range of degrees at a good price, so you can get exactly the sort of aeronautics or aviation training you want.

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