I am currently a part-time college student looking for a new career path in my 2nd year. I decided after my first that the major I was in was not for me, and dropped a lot of classes the 2nd year to save money and started looking for a new plan. I am really interested in becoming a commercial, private, or cargo pilot, but only have the one year of college and am not sure what to study. How do airlines look at your college degrees and how long will i need to go to school for What kind of classes will I need to take in order to become one of the three I listed before. Thanks!
Noah,
First I recommend you take a look at our FAQ section as there’s a ton of great info there (https://airlinepilot.life/c/Ask-your-questions-and-get-real-answers-from-real-pilots/frequently-asked-questions). Next we have to define some terms. When you say “commercial”, I’m going to assume you mean airline. When you say “private” I’m thinking you mean corporate or charter for a “private” owner or company and cargo can mean anything from a small single engine Caravan all the way to FedEx. Short answer is in all those examples if you want to progress up the chain you’re going to need a 4yr degree. The good news is none of them require any specific field of study, major or courses. It’s simply the employers want to see a degree. I recommend you study something you have interest in as a possible backup AND I also recommend you take an intro flight or a few lessons. While many people think they want to be pilots until you’ve actually sat at the controls of a small plane you simply won’t know.
Adam
Adam,
i appreciate the reply. I looked over the link and would just like your personal opinion on the best way to pursue this then. Should i continue searching and find a major, finish school and then look into becoming a pilot, or should i do flight school and then go back for a degree. i looked into ATP and other flight schools and it does not seem like you can do both at the same time.
Thanks
Noah,
You are correct you definitely can’t do ATP and school at the same time. I always recommend finishing school first. While it is more expeditious to do your flight training, build your time, get hired and then continue your education after. Many people find that to be very challenging and end up stuck without a degree. Ultimately it’s your call but you need to be honest with yourself about your ability to buckle down after you’re already flying.
Again I wouldn’t do a thing until you take a flight or 2.
Adam
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I have been researching more and have some more questions i was hoping someone might be able to answer. I understand that flying for the majors is extremely unlikely without a degree, but that is not really a huge goal of mine, instead i am just looking to make the best career out of flying. I am curious about other jobs and how hard it might be to obtain some of those. Specifically i was wondering about things like Regional Airlines, Cargo Pilot’s, Corporate and Business, Law Enforcement Pilots, and Agricultural Pilots, will it be likely to get hired to these types of jobs without a degree as well?
Noah,
The best career out of flying is flying for a major, there are no two ways about that. Pay at the majors is higher than anywhere else, as is the quality of life.
That being said, you can easily get hired at a regional without a degree. Corporate flight departments are really more about who you know, so they can be hard to get into. I believe moat law enforcement pilots are hired from within their departments, but I could be wrong about that and agricultural pilots require special agricultural training. That doesn’t mean that these jobs are not attainable, just that they can be difficult to get. Without a degree, your most likely path is to the regional airlines, which is not a bad place to be.
Chris
A lot of things i see people are saying that regional pilots are not happy with where they are, is that just because of the large pay difference between them and majors for the line of same work? Tell me if i’m wrong but it looks like regionals make 70k-80k cap, while a major can make 100k+, but other than pay is quality of the job really that bad?
Also do you know about flying cargo? I read that top pay for that could be up to 200k, but it is hard to ever find if it is a realistic goal without a degree.
Noah,
The pay difference between the regionals and majors is huge. While a Captain at a regional might make $90k, a Captain at a major can make $300k. Combine that with the fact that majors fly longer flights, meaning less flights per day and fly all over the world, while regional pilots are regional. major airline pilots tend to stay in nicer hotels, have better vacation and benefits, etc. The list goes on and on.
If by “cargo” you are referring to UPS and FedEx, I can tell you that hose are some of the top jobs in the industry. They are very competitive and will also require a degree. The good news for you is that while working at a regional, you should be able to finish a degree, if you work hard. Many before you have done it.
Chris
Noah,
While you say your goal now is just to fly and you’d be happy even if you weren’t at a Major, you’re saying that due to a lack of experience. No the QOL at the Regionals is not terrible but when EVERY pilot you know is moving on and making 3-4 times your salary and posting pictures from Brussels to Beijing you’re definitely not going to be happy. It’s one thing being content, it’s another being “stuck”. This is not a career of short cuts. Does every pilot flying for a Major, large cargo or corporate have a degree? No but the majority due and the rest have something significant on their resumes to compensate. The interview question is “I have 5 other applicants with the same flight qualifications as you AND degrees so why should we LOWER our standards and hire you?” what would your answer be?
Adam
Noah,
I don’t know what you’ve been reading or who you’ve been talking to, but I can tell you that the majority of regional pilots I’ve met are very happy and live a comfortable life. There’s only three pilots I’ve met at Horizon that seem to always be in a bad mood, but these are the same people that have sabotaged themselves and made it virtually impossible to move on to a major.
Plus, you need to realize that regional pay has almost tripled over the last two decades. Quality of life has improved tremendously. If a regional pilot can’t make ends meet, they’re living beyond their means.
Tory