Online Aviation Degree Programs

Aviation may be one of the most exciting subjects for math and science degrees. With an online aviation degree, you can learn about the physics of flight or the logistics of the airline industry. This interesting topic will challenge you and bring you countless career choices.

More training is often required after completing an online aviation degree. However, these programs can prepare students for careers as air traffic controllers, aircraft mechanics, aerospace researchers, and pilots. The country needs motivated, educated experts in the aviation industry. With an online aviation degree, students can become the next leaders in this critical field.

ARTICLE NAVIGATION:

• Levels of Online Aviation Degrees: Certificate | Diploma | Associate | Bachelor | Bachelor Completion | Graduate Certificate | Master’s | Doctorate
• Accreditation for Online Aviation Degrees
• Can an Online Aviation Degree Meet Licensing or Certification Requirements?
• Licensure and Certification for Aviation Professionals
• Outlook for Careers with an Aviation Degree Online
• Salary Potential with an Online Aviation Degree

Certificate

Certificates offer the fastest path to an aviation career. They are available online, only require a high school diploma, and take less than 20 credit hours. By comparison, an associate degree can require 60 credits or more. Here are the credit requirements for a few aviation certificates:

• Aviation Management Certificate, Lenoir Community College: 13 credits
• Private Pilot Essentials Certificate, Lenoir Community College: 14 credits
• Certificate in Space Studies, American Public University System: 18 credits

Students who want to start an aviation career in just a semester or two can consider these online aviation degree programs. They can provide foundational knowledge for careers as a pilot, maintenance technician, or meteorologist. Further training, however, will likely be required. For example, students need more than just a certificate to become a pilot.

Certificates can also be useful for current professionals. The Aviation Management Certificate from Lenoir Community College, for example, can help entry-level workers move into management and leadership roles.

Diploma

With a diploma in aviation, you’ll be on the path to a career in the flight and aeronautics industry. You will be able to qualify for jobs as a manager or unmanned flight aircraft operator. Diplomas are available online, and they only require a high school education to apply.

Diplomas can be completed relatively quickly. They require less time than an associate degree but more than a certificate. The diplomas from Lenoir Community College, for example, require 43 credits or less to complete.

Diplomas cover practical topics like air navigation and meteorology. However, they also include theory courses like the history of aviation and commercial flight theory.

Associate

An associate-level online aviation degree can take many forms. With these degrees, students will receive the education needed for entry into training programs such as the FAA Academy for air traffic controllers. Other online associate aviation degree programs prepare students for direct placement in the aviation industry. The associate’s degree in Aviation Science from Utah Valley University, for example, qualifies grads for entry-level roles in aerospace.

Associate’s degrees require about 60 credit hours and can be completed entirely online. Prices for these programs vary greatly. The lowest-cost accredited, online aviation degree at the associate level is about $5,500. Meanwhile, degree programs on the high end can run up to $60,000. To make sure you are getting a quality degree at a great price, make use of the resources available on GetEducated.com.

Bachelor

Online aviation degrees at the bachelor’s level qualify students for the next step in becoming an air traffic controller or pilot. Many are aviation management degrees. Still others focus on research, security, or policy.

Many of these online aviation degree programs serve as an entry point to future training. An example is the Bachelor of Science in Professional Pilot from Lynn University. This online aviation degree gives students knowledge in flight theory, aviation law, and flight procedures. However, additional training is required to become a pilot.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration / Aviation Management from Purdue Global, on the other hand, leads directly to the job market. It can help you become a manager for airlines, airports, and other industry groups.

Bachelor’s degrees require roughly four years of study with a typical course load. They can be completed online and are available to those with a high school diploma. Tuition for online aviation degrees covers a wide range. Accredited bachelor’s programs run from about $25,000 to more than $100,000.

Bachelor Completion

If you have completed an associate’s degree or have some college experience, you may be able to enroll in a bachelor completion online aviation degree program. This way, you can save time and money while furthering your education. These programs can lead to careers in management or jobs such as aviation technicians and mechanics.

These online aviation degrees reduce the time it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree, which typically requires 120 credit hours. But if you have an associate’s degree, this can be cut in half. Your time will be reduced to about 60 credit hours, or two to three years of study.

Graduate Certificate

Students and working professionals with a bachelor’s degree can enhance their knowledge and expertise with a graduate certificate in aviation. They are available in specific topics like unmanned aircraft systems (drones) and aerospace management. These certificates qualify graduates for career advancement, especially leadership roles.

Master’s

A master’s-level online aviation degree requires a bachelor’s degree for enrollment. It can be used to enhance a career, qualifying grads for roles that include manager, researcher, and cybersecurity expert.

Master’s degrees are often focused on a narrow field. Students can choose from online aviation degrees in space systems, aerospace logistics, commercial aviation, or the management of space systems.

An online aviation management degree can come in the form of a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. They focus on management, leadership, administration, and organization in the flight and aircraft industry.

Master’s degrees, which can be completed entirely online, will vary in size. Most are roughly 30 to 40 credit hours and require two years of study. The Master of Science in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota requires 33 credit hours. Meanwhile, the same degree from American Public University System requires 36 credit hours.

You can find an online aviation master’s degree program for a reasonable rate. The accredited online aviation master’s degrees in our database range from $12,000 to $30,000. These costs include tuition and required fees.

Doctorate

Doctorates are for graduates of master’s programs in science, physics, and aeronautics. If you are deeply interested in aviation and have a strong academic record, pursue a doctorate to become a researcher or educator.

The online aviation degree program from Oklahoma State, for example, is a doctor of education degree that teaches current professionals how to teach the next generation of aviation experts. The Doctor of Aviation from the Florida Institute of Technology, on the other hand, prepares graduates for leadership roles in aviation research.

Most accredited online options in this category come in at less than $50,000 in tuition. Among the aviation doctorate programs in our database, costs range from about $14,000 to $55,000.

Accreditation works differently for online aviation degrees than many other college majors. This is because of the highly regulated nature of the aerospace and aviation industries. Nonprofit, government-approved groups conduct accreditation in most industries. In aviation, however, programs are approved primarily by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA has different programs for various careers. Air traffic controllers have the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI), which reviews aviation programs for quality and consistency. To qualify for training, students need to first graduate from an AT-CTI program.

There are a few typical accrediting bodies for online aviation degrees. The Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) accredits aviation and flight-industry programs. The only AABI-accredited program in our database is the Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

Resources:

• AABI-Accredited Programs

The link between education, training, licensing, and careers within the aviation industry is complex. Indeed, it is not as clear-cut as many other industries and professions. In most cases, online degrees qualify students to enter aviation training programs.

To highlight this point, let’s take a look at air traffic controllers. Students must complete training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City to become an air traffic controller. To enter the academy, students need a degree in transportation, business, engineering, aviation, or a similar field, along with work experience. The education must be an associate or bachelor’s level online aviation degree from an FAA-approved school.

FAA-approved schools in our database include:

• Florida Institute of Technology
• LeTourneau University
• Vaughn College
• Purdue University

If students graduate from an FAA-approved program and then gain experience, they can enter the FAA Academy. There, they can start training to become an air traffic controller.

Online aviation degrees will not qualify graduates to become pilots on their own. However, an online aviation education will support the career, but pilots must undergo in-person flight training, for obvious reasons.

Resources:

• FAA Academy
• BLS - Air Traffic Controllers
• FAA-Approved Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative Schools

The aviation industry has no margin for error. Training, licensing, and certifications, therefore, are detailed and rigorous. In many professions, state governments dictate and administer licensing. Because of the interstate and international nature of the aviation industry, however, the FAA handles these tasks.

Airline pilots, for example, usually need a bachelor’s degree in transportation or aviation followed by flight training with an FAA-certified instructor. Commercial pilots (charters, shipping, etc.) need flight training, although some employers prefer that their pilots also have an aviation degree.

Graduates of aviation mechanic programs like the Certificate in Aviation Maintenance Technology from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University can qualify for work as an aviation mechanic. It is important to realize that the FAA mandates that only certified mechanics can perform aircraft maintenance.

Here is the process for becoming an FAA-certified mechanic:

1. To begin, attend an FAA-approved aviation maintenance technical school. (A point often overlooked is that applicants meeting professional experience requirements can bypass this requirement.)
2. Then, gain professional experience. The amount required will depend on your education level. You will need at least 18 months of experience if you do not have an aviation education.
3. Pass written, oral, and practical tests. Applicants must pass the written tests before taking the oral and practical tests.
4. Finally, after passing the tests, you will be eligible to work as an FAA-certified mechanic.

Resources:

• FAA - Become an Aviation Mechanic

The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not expect the aviation industry to see massive growth. Still, job development will be steady. To that end, some jobs will be virtually stagnant. Between 2021 and 2031, employment for air traffic controllers will only grow by 1%, adding only 100 jobs during an entire decade. Around 23,000 positions are expected by 2031.

Other careers will fare better. For example, aircraft pilots and flight engineers can expect a growth of 6%. What’s more, air transport workers as a whole will grow by 11%.

Data from the BLS shows an interesting trend: the aviation business is substantial in Alaska. While other states with far larger populations have more air traffic controllers, pilots, and aircraft mechanics, Alaska is #1 on a per-resident basis. In many cases, they have two or three times more aviation experts per 1,000 jobs than the second-place state.

Looking at per-1,000 jobs, Alaska has the most aviation professionals in these careers:

• Air traffic controllers: 1.51 (New Hampshire is #2 with 0.67.)
• Commercial pilots: 3.4 (Montana is #2 with 0.94.)
• Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers: 2.65 (Hawaii is #2 with 1.66)
• Aircraft mechanics: 4.82 (Oklahoma is #2 with 2.34)
• Avionics technicians: 0.88 (Kansas is #2 with 0.49)

Resources:

• BLS - Employment of Air Traffic Controllers
• BLS - Employment of Commercial Pilots
• BLS - Employment of Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
• BLS - Employment of Aircraft Mechanics
• BLS - Employment of Avionics Technicians

Aviation careers, while requiring vigorous training and a detailed licensing process, can bring strong salaries.

Air traffic controllers, for example, have a median salary of $129,750 a year. The top 10% earn over $185,990. This makes it one of the most lucrative careers for FAA Academy grads.

Pilots have strong salaries also, earning a median annual income of $134,630. Those working for scheduled air transport, mostly the passenger-flight industry, earn even  more. They have a median salary of $207,200.

Even though avionics technicians only need an associate level online aviation degree, they earn a respectable median salary of $65,550.

Whether you want to qualify for a career in one semester or complete a doctor of education, there is an online aviation degree right for you. All of the online aviation degrees in our database are accredited by recognized bodies. They are all at least 80% online, and most are fully online. Submit your information and put your aviation career on the runway!