I’m looking into becoming a pilot, and am fully prepared to take out the loans/ make the temporary sacrifices and put in the work. However, I do have a question regarding how an education effects life as a pilot.
I spent 4 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and was able to complete my Bachelor’s degree in creative writing and English. I still have a full GI bill to take advantage of and want to pursue a graduates degree. I guess my question is, will a Masters degree give me any sort of pay bump or other benefits beyond looking good on a resume and of course the knowledge I obtain in achieving it? Does anyone have any experience with this?
If so, is there any particular area of study that is preferred?
Any thoughts or experience with this would be greatly appreciated.
Other than looking good on a resume, a master’s degree will not do much for you in the airline industry (not when working as a pilot). The major airlines want to see a four year degree, but beyond that they want to see flight time and lots of it. I personally do not believe that having a master’s degree will do much of anything in regards to helping you get hired as a pilot.
Pay is set by union contracts, there is no pay difference based on education.
Now, if after you were hired as a pilot, you then applied for management positions, the extra education could be helpful in that process.
If your goal is to be a pilot, I would skip the extra degree and focus on flying. You could always go back and get the degree later.
I figured as much, but thought I’d check. I’ve got about a year until I can start with ATP, I pretty much have to wait until the wife gets done with her education and gets a full time job, then I can take out the loan and attack flight school head on. Planned to fill that time with grad school, seeing as how I pretty much get paid to go to school with the GI bill, and save the money for when I really need it during flight school.
Good to know there’s not really a bonus for it as far as flying goes, but an MBA might be helpful if like you said those managerial positions become an option in the future.
Also keep in mind while additional degrees might not help much in the airlines, they may in other areas. You see as pilots build seniority they really gain a tremendous amount of control over their schedules. I know many pilots who have side businesses (real estate, accounting, mortgage brokers, etc). While an MBA might not be useful now it very well might be in the future.
I am, although I’m hesitant to do so. I’ve used some of it, and have 30 months left. Unless I have an only child, I wouldn’t be able to pay for my children’s education fully with it, and I feel its best for them to earn it themselves vs. me giving it to them.
I personally don’t believe college is the one and only route to success, therefore if they want to get a degree I want them to pay for it. I’d be open to coming up with a deal for them, something like I’ll pay for your last semester with the GI bill if you pay for the rest of it and don’t drop out.
As of right now I have no children, so I’m also hesitant to not take advantage of a benefit I have for kids I may or may not have.
As Adam stated, I think it would be wise to pursue something along the lines of an MBA, something I can use in some side business after getting some real tenure as a Pilot.