Aviation Degrees

 

Five Top Schools for an Aviation Degree

So you've decided on a career in aviation, but you don't want to miss out on the opportunities and education offered by a four-year college or university. A bachelor's degree will improve your employment prospects and your critical thinking skills, vital in any professional field and in daily life. If you choose to attend an aviation college, you will not only earn a traditional bachelor's degree, you will study areas specific to this very competitive field and log those all-important hours in the air so you can obtain your FAA pilot rating.

Below is a list of the top five aviation schools in the United States. They range from a private school dedicated exclusively to aviation and aeronautics to a top-ranked liberal arts and research university. Prospective students need to consider not only the strengths of each aviation program, but also the campus environment that appeals most to them and their preferred geographical location. The rankings offer a sketch of possibilities, but the number one school overall may not be the best place for you to begin your career in the skies. 

1. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private school with campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona, specializing in aviation and aerospace engineering. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in aviation, business, engineering, science, and the arts. Embry-Riddle consistently ranks high in the U.S. News & World Report and Aircraft Maintenance Technology surveys and among informal polls of pilots and students. Founded in 1926 as a flight school and aircraft dealer, Embry-Riddle has grown to become one of the largest and most respected aerospace engineering programs in the United States. In addition to its two campuses, Embry-Riddle Worldwide offers online courses at more than 170 distance learning centers across the planet. This option is very popular among military personnel and other working professionals.

2. Purdue University is a public school located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Its engineering school is recognized as one of the best in the nation and the world, and it is a thriving center for technological research. Purdue's program in professional flight technology awards an associate of science degree after two years and a bachelor of science degree in aviation technology upon completion of two more years of coursework. Students also earn their private and commercial pilot certificates and an instrument rating. Purdue also offers degrees in aviation management and an air traffic control program. Incoming freshmen seeking a traditional college experience with picturesque brick buildings and campus pageantry will find it at Purdue.

3. University of North Dakota is a public research university located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Like Purdue, UND is a traditional four-year university. It is considered the most technologically advanced campus complex in the world and possesses one of the world's largest training fleets. Its aviation program was the first in the nation to award an undergraduate business degree combined with a liberal arts education and professional flight training. The Department of Aviation offers undergraduate degrees in air traffic control, airport management, aviation management, aviation technology management, and flight education and a master's degree in aviation. 

4. Arizona State University Polytechnic is located in Mesa, Arizona. it is part of the larger state school system. The aviation program offers undergraduate degrees in air traffic management and aeronautical management technology with an emphasis in either air transportation management or professional flight and a graduate degree in aviation management. It combines academic studies with aviation and professional flight training. The weather in Arizona provides an ideal flight training environment, and the program's cutting-edge research facilities offer students insights into the aviation technology of today and tomorrow.

5. Western Michigan University, located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is a large, public research university. The aviation program offers undergraduate degrees in aviation flight science, aviation science and administration, and aviation maintenance technology. Practical training using the university's superb aviation facilities is also part of a student's curriculum. The flight science program seeks to create future captains and managers; it emphasizes intellectual growth as well as technical training. 

These last three strike a nice balance between an intensive flight school experience, like Embry-Riddle, and a traditional collegiate experience, like Purdue. Aviation schools can offer something for everyone.

For more information, check out our Scholarships & Grants Guide for a listing of hundreds of scholarship opportunities.

 

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