Bright outlook
Transportation
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
- Median pay
- $232,140
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Active Listening
ProgramsTransportation and Materials Moving
Air Transportation
CIP49.01
133 colleges offer Air Transportation. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 133
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $83,448
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $21,250
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 119
- Associate's
- 133
- Bachelor's
- 114
- Master's
- 25
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 2
- Doctoral
- 7
- First professional
- 1
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 11
What it covers
About Air Transportation
A program that focuses on the general study of aviation and the aviation industry, including in-flight and ground support operations. Includes instruction in the technical, business, and general aspects of air transportation systems.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 49.01.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 49.01.
- Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General
- Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and Flight Crew
- Aviation/Airway Management and Operations
- Air Traffic Controller
- Airline Flight Attendant
- Flight Instructor
- Remote Aircraft Pilot
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 119 | $41,0614 yrs after · 1 college | $12,0003 colleges |
| Associate's | 133 | $75,6374 yrs after · 15 colleges | $16,53811 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 114 | $83,4484 yrs after · 52 colleges | $21,25061 colleges |
| Master's | 25 | $113,1614 yrs after · 7 colleges | $30,7506 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 7 | Not reported | Not reported |
| First professional | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 11 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Air Transportation graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Orem, UT · Public · 148 graduates
$106,001
debt $20,375
- 2
Grand Forks, ND · Public · 413 graduates
$104,472
debt $25,250
- 3
Logan, UT · Public · 61 graduates
$103,989
debt $24,375
- 4
Minnesota State University-Mankato
Mankato, MN · Public · 93 graduates
$103,858
debt $21,500
- 5
Portales, NM · Public · 33 graduates
$103,617
debt $19,143
- 6
Lynchburg, VA · Private nonprofit · 505 graduates
$102,096
debt $20,500
- 7
Athens, OH · Public · 33 graduates
$99,701
debt $25,000
- 8
Middle Georgia State University
Macon, GA · Public · 119 graduates
$93,627
debt $19,035
- 9
Ypsilanti, MI · Public · 35 graduates
$91,648
debt $27,000
- 10
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus
Norman, OK · Public · 62 graduates
$91,081
debt $20,218
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Air Transportation by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
Transportation
Air Traffic Controllers
- Median pay
- $148,080
- Outlook
- Slower than average
Associate's degree
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Bright outlook
Transportation
Commercial Pilots
- Median pay
- $123,220
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Postsecondary certificate
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Monitoring
- Bright outlook
Management
Supply Chain Managers
- Median pay
- $107,230
- Outlook
- Faster than average
High school diploma
- Active Listening
- Coordination
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Bright outlook
Management
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Median pay
- $107,230
- Outlook
- Faster than average
High school diploma
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Coordination
- Bright outlook
Transportation
Flight Attendants
- Median pay
- $63,580
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
High school diploma
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
Transportation
First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants
- Median pay
- $62,890
- Outlook
- As fast as average
High school diploma
- Active Listening
- Service Orientation
- Speaking
- Bright outlook
Transportation
Airfield Operations Specialists
- Median pay
- $56,850
- Outlook
- Faster than average
High school diploma
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Coordination
More in Transportation and Materials Moving
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this areaQuestions about Air Transportation
How many colleges offer Air Transportation?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Air Transportation at these degree levels: certificate (119 colleges), associate's (133 colleges), bachelor's (114 colleges), master's (25 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (2 colleges), doctoral (7 colleges), first professional (1 college), graduate/professional certificate (11 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Air Transportation graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Air Transportation earn $83,448 a year four years after finishing, across 52 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Air Transportation graduates earn the most?
Utah Valley University reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Air Transportation: $106,001 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.