Best institutions to study Air Transportation
Compare 214 U.S. colleges offering Air Transportation by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 48 states.
Air Transportation programs report a median of $42,837 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 49.01 and the Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers occupation (BLS SOC).
About Air Transportation programs
The Air Transportation program focuses on the various aspects of transportation and materials moving, preparing students for careers in the aviation industry. This program is ideal for individuals interested in aeronautics, airline operations, and flight crew roles, providing a comprehensive understanding of the field.
Students in the Air Transportation program gain essential skills in areas such as transportation logistics, administration, customer service, and safety management. Coursework covers a range of specializations, including aeronautics, air traffic control, and flight instruction.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Portales, NM Public · Bachelor's degree | $88,085 | 33 | 45% | — | $17,108 |
| 2 | Hallmark University San Antonio, TX Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $79,086 | 4 | 66% | $12,120 | — |
| 3 | University of North Texas Denton, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $56,487 | 17 | 61% | — | $23,573 |
| 4 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT Public · Bachelor's degree | $56,402 | 433 | 45% | — | $23,500 |
| 5 | Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott Prescott, AZ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $54,827 | 218 | 68% | $38,461 | $22,000 |
| 6 | Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $54,827 | 754 | 67% | $38,899 | $22,000 |
| 7 | Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide Daytona Beach, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $54,827 | 1,705 | 21% | $21,266 | $22,000 |
| 8 | Everglades University Boca Raton, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $53,331 | 78 | 61% | $29,513 | $42,750 |
| 9 | California Aeronautical University Bakersfield, CA Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $52,656 | 65 | 30% | $38,309 | $30,024 |
| 10 | Kansas State University Manhattan, KS Public · Bachelor's degree | $51,198 | 107 | 71% | — | $21,500 |
| 11 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $50,629 | 633 | 65% | $28,911 | $24,874 |
| 12 | Polk State College Winter Haven, FL Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,499 | 26 | 35% | — | $11,197 |
| 13 | California Baptist University Riverside, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,989 | 23 | 62% | $26,940 | — |
| 14 | Central Oregon Community College Bend, OR Public · Associate degree | $48,594 | 48 | 25% | — | $13,416 |
| 15 | Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $47,019 | 188 | 64% | $33,585 | $27,000 |
| 16 | California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,267 | 27 | 53% | — | $15,132 |
| 17 | University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,193 | 410 | 60% | — | $22,769 |
| 18 | Jacksonville University Jacksonville, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,875 | 33 | 51% | $25,813 | $25,125 |
| 19 | Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,682 | 175 | 68% | — | $19,924 |
| 20 | Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,193 | 126 | 54% | — | $20,500 |
| 21 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,190 | 293 | 83% | — | $21,250 |
| 22 | Community College of Beaver County Monaca, PA Public · Associate degree | $45,028 | 24 | 12% | — | $13,000 |
| 23 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,481 | 129 | 68% | — | $22,421 |
| 24 | Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,459 | 46 | 80% | $24,886 | $27,000 |
| 25 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,063 | 224 | 62% | — | $20,500 |
| 26 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,922 | 127 | 32% | — | $24,356 |
| 27 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,909 | 240 | 54% | — | $21,992 |
| 28 | Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,171 | 46 | 53% | — | $26,939 |
| 29 | University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,837 | 43 | 47% | — | $21,000 |
| 30 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,960 | 64 | 53% | — | $22,500 |
| 31 | Rocky Mountain College Billings, MT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,588 | 30 | 48% | $17,369 | $27,000 |
| 32 | Middle Georgia State University Macon, GA Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,028 | 143 | 25% | — | $22,700 |
| 33 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,876 | 95 | 64% | — | $24,730 |
| 34 | Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,846 | 28 | 46% | — | $29,750 |
| 35 | University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage, AK Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,796 | 31 | 30% | — | $25,000 |
| 36 | Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,112 | 59 | 43% | — | $24,500 |
| 37 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,102 | 81 | 88% | — | $24,842 |
| 38 | Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,025 | 61 | 54% | — | $19,500 |
| 39 | Lewis University Romeoville, IL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,228 | 151 | 67% | $17,632 | $24,873 |
| 40 | University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus Norman, OK Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,652 | 65 | 75% | — | $25,250 |
| 41 | University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,283 | 60 | 54% | — | $21,500 |
| 42 | LeTourneau University Longview, TX Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,205 | 49 | 59% | $24,186 | $27,000 |
| 43 | Northwestern Michigan College Traverse City, MI Public · Associate degree | $37,988 | 39 | 25% | — | $14,803 |
| 44 | University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,362 | 58 | 40% | $21,324 | $26,250 |
| 45 | Auburn University Auburn, AL Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,856 | 191 | 82% | — | $21,875 |
| 46 | Louisiana Tech University Ruston, LA Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,669 | 40 | 64% | — | $20,375 |
| 47 | Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,625 | 51 | 50% | — | $23,781 |
| 48 | Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Tulsa, OK Private for-profit · Associate degree | $35,377 | 161 | 51% | $33,187 | $19,186 |
| 49 | Texas State Technical College Waco, TX Public · Associate degree | $35,008 | 11 | 46% | — | $12,054 |
| 50 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,872 | 188 | 58% | — | $27,000 |
Offered across 48 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 11-3071, Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers, and its national outlook.
The career outlook for graduates in Air Transportation is promising, with a projected growth rate of 6.1% and approximately 18,500 annual job openings. The median wage for professionals in this field is $102,010, typically requiring a high school diploma or equivalent.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Air Transportation
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 49.01.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 49.01 (Air Transportation) maps to 7 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-3071 | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managersprimary |
| 53-1044 | First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants |
| 53-2011 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers |
| 53-2012 | Commercial Pilots |
| 53-2021 | Air Traffic Controllers |
| 53-2022 | Airfield Operations Specialists |
| 53-2031 | Flight Attendants |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Air Transportation programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Supervise the activities of workers engaged in receiving, storing, testing, and shipping products or materials.
- Plan, develop, or implement warehouse safety and security programs and activities.
- Inspect physical conditions of warehouses, vehicle fleets, or equipment and order testing, maintenance, repairs, or replacements.
- Plan, organize, or manage the work of subordinate staff to ensure that the work is accomplished in a manner consistent with organizational requirements.
- Collaborate with other departments to integrate logistics with business systems or processes, such as customer sales, order management, accounting, or shipping.
- Analyze all aspects of corporate logistics to determine the most cost-effective or efficient means of transporting products or supplies.
Concentrations within Air Transportation
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, GeneralCIP 49.0101
A program that focuses on the general study of aviation and the aviation industry, including in-flight and ground support operations
- Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and Flight CrewCIP 49.0102
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to the flying and/or navigation of commercial passenger and cargo, agricultural, public service, corporate and rescue fixed
- Aviation/Airway Management and OperationsCIP 49.0104
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to the management of aviation industry operations and services
- Air Traffic ControllerCIP 49.0105
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to air-traffic management and control, usually with additional training at the FAA Flight Control Center in a cooperative ed
- Airline Flight AttendantCIP 49.0106
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to the performance of a variety of personal services conducive to the safety and comfort of airline passengers during flight
- Flight InstructorCIP 49.0108
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to the training of pilots or navigators, to prepare them to fly and/or navigate commercial passenger and cargo, agricultural
- Remote Aircraft PilotCIP 49.0109
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to fly unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for commercial, professional, or personal use, and qualifies individuals to sit for th
- Air Transportation, OtherCIP 49.0199
Any instructional program in aviation and air transportation services not listed above.
Common questions
What careers can I pursue with an Air Transportation degree?+
Graduates can work as airline pilots, air traffic controllers, flight attendants, and more.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, and logistics management.
What is the job outlook for Air Transportation graduates?+
The job outlook is faster than average, with a growth rate of 6.1%.
What level of education do I need to enter this field?+
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for entry-level positions.
How much do Air Transportation graduates earn?+
Air Transportation graduates report median earnings of $42,837 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers occupation pays about $121,600 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Air Transportation?+
Air Transportation maps to CIP 49.01 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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