Air Transportation: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 49.01. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 431 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 127 | 1,453 | $32,972 | $38,259 | $8,312 6 programs |
| Associate's degree | 136 | 1,812 | $52,658 | $75,495 | $13,000 15 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 121 | 6,865 | $55,780 | $85,825 | $22,614 68 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 26 | 817 | $96,005 | $110,104 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 7 | 28 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 11 | 95 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| L3Harris Aerosim Academy · Private, for-profit · 59 graduates measured | $39,765 | $98,631 | $5,483 |
| Aviator College of Aeronautical Science and Technology FL · Private, for-profit · 57 graduates measured | $35,683 | Data unavailable | $12,000 |
| International Air and Hospitality Academy · Private, for-profit · 268 graduates measured | $28,790 | $33,509 | $6,311 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach FL · Private, nonprofit · 317 graduates measured | $70,512 | $83,343 | $12,562 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide FL · Private, nonprofit · 317 graduates measured | $70,512 | $83,343 | $12,562 |
| Broward College FL · Public · 54 graduates measured | $53,564 | $75,637 | $10,500 |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale IL · Public · 31 graduates measured | $45,287 | $103,606 | $20,250 |
| Mt San Antonio College CA · Public · 19 graduates measured | $40,793 | $59,078 | Data unavailable |
| Miami Dade College FL · Public · 23 graduates measured | $39,376 | $78,726 | Data unavailable |
| Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology OK · Private, for-profit · 66 graduates measured | $37,011 | Data unavailable | $20,000 |
| Montana State University MT · Public · 19 graduates measured | $35,436 | $74,026 | $11,500 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus NM · Public · 22 graduates measured | $91,027 | $103,617 | $24,109 |
| Liberty University VA · Private, nonprofit · 423 graduates measured | $77,466 | $102,096 | $23,000 |
| National American University-Rapid City SD · Private, for-profit · 23 graduates measured | $77,457 | Data unavailable | $45,000 |
| National American University-Ellsworth · Private, for-profit · 23 graduates measured | $77,457 | Data unavailable | $45,000 |
| Utah Valley University UT · Public · 167 graduates measured | $70,419 | $106,001 | $22,454 |
| Kansas State University KS · Public · 18 graduates measured | $68,020 | $85,147 | $20,500 |
| Southern Utah University UT · Public · 31 graduates measured | $66,991 | Data unavailable | $13,000 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott AZ · Private, nonprofit · 1594 graduates measured | $64,220 | $90,495 | $18,500 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach FL · Private, nonprofit · 1594 graduates measured | $64,220 | $90,495 | $18,500 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide FL · Private, nonprofit · 1594 graduates measured | $64,220 | $90,495 | $18,500 |
| South Dakota State University SD · Public · 28 graduates measured | $62,297 | Data unavailable | $21,500 |
| Green River College WA · Public · 19 graduates measured | $60,049 | Data unavailable | $14,722 |
| University of North Dakota ND · Public · 173 graduates measured | $59,101 | $104,472 | $26,797 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver CO · Public · 64 graduates measured | $58,830 | $72,846 | $22,245 |
| California Aeronautical University CA · Private, for-profit · 35 graduates measured | $58,714 | Data unavailable | $31,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott AZ · Private, nonprofit · 357 graduates measured | $102,493 | $113,161 | Data unavailable |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach FL · Private, nonprofit · 357 graduates measured | $102,493 | $113,161 | Data unavailable |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide FL · Private, nonprofit · 357 graduates measured | $102,493 | $113,161 | Data unavailable |
| Delta State University MS · Public · 30 graduates measured | $96,313 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Liberty University VA · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $96,169 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of North Dakota ND · Public · 26 graduates measured | $96,052 | $124,835 | Data unavailable |
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 41 graduates measured | $85,722 | $120,421 | Data unavailable |
| Everglades University FL · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $82,078 | $69,589 | Data unavailable |
| Lewis University IL · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $72,760 | $108,264 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Air Transportation
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers | $107,230 | +6.1% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers | $232,140 | +8.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Commercial pilots | $123,220 | +5.2% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Air traffic controllers | $148,080 | +1.7% | Associate's degree |
| Airfield operations specialists | $56,850 | +7.8% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Flight attendants | $63,580 | +8.8% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (7)
- 49.0101 Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General
- 49.0102 Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and Flight Crew
- 49.0104 Aviation/Airway Management and Operations
- 49.0105 Air Traffic Controller
- 49.0106 Airline Flight Attendant
- 49.0108 Flight Instructor
- 49.0199 Air Transportation, Other