Getting a Bachelor's Degree
01-21-2020, 03:36 PM
#1
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Getting a Bachelor's Degree
Hi everyone,
I'm new to the forum and to the industry, coming in with zero flying hours and currently looking to start flight training to ultimately become an airline pilot at either a major carrier, corporate or cargo airline. I would like to ask a question about education standards and whether getting a bachelor's degree now would be worth it or if I would be better off completing it when I'm through all the training.
I currently work in a medical field and possess an Associates of Applied Science degree. From what I've gathered, I could enroll myself into a university now and start working towards a degree in aviation, or I could just focus my time and money on completing my flight training first, and then get my degree down the road.
How much better off would I be with a Bachelor's Degree when applying for commercial jobs as a pilot versus having just an associates degree along with all my certifications and flying hours? Would my resume be pushed aside because I don't have a full degree? I am leaning towards not starting any online college classes until I'm through the training but also don't want to hurt my chances at getting hired.
Thanks a lot for any feedback.
FA
I'm new to the forum and to the industry, coming in with zero flying hours and currently looking to start flight training to ultimately become an airline pilot at either a major carrier, corporate or cargo airline. I would like to ask a question about education standards and whether getting a bachelor's degree now would be worth it or if I would be better off completing it when I'm through all the training.
I currently work in a medical field and possess an Associates of Applied Science degree. From what I've gathered, I could enroll myself into a university now and start working towards a degree in aviation, or I could just focus my time and money on completing my flight training first, and then get my degree down the road.
How much better off would I be with a Bachelor's Degree when applying for commercial jobs as a pilot versus having just an associates degree along with all my certifications and flying hours? Would my resume be pushed aside because I don't have a full degree? I am leaning towards not starting any online college classes until I'm through the training but also don't want to hurt my chances at getting hired.
Thanks a lot for any feedback.
FA
01-21-2020, 04:11 PM
#2
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Joined APC: Jan 2006
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You could do it either way, especially since you have an AS degree. You'd just need to make sure you finish the degree quickly once you get to a regional, so you don't end up wasting time when you're otherwise competitive.
How much better off would I be with a Bachelor's Degree when applying for commercial jobs as a pilot versus having just an associates degree along with all my certifications and flying hours? Would my resume be pushed aside because I don't have a full degree? I am leaning towards not starting any online college classes until I'm through the training but also don't want to hurt my chances at getting hired.
But for the major airlines, your options will be limited. For the top tier majors, you will essentially not be getting hired (odds are less than 1% and those few folks need to have some pretty remarkable aviation credentials (or friends).
For some ULCC/LCC airlines you could probably get hired eventually but it would likely take longer and there's some risk. Since you're already halfway there might as well finish it.
Alternative is AA wholly-owned regionals... they will have a flow program to AA which does not require a degree. That will probably take longer and carries the risk that if something happens to the flow (it has in the past), you'd be stuck for the duration.
01-21-2020, 04:31 PM
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I currently work in a medical field and possess an Associates of Applied Science degree. From what I've gathered, I could enroll myself into a university now and start working towards a degree in aviation, or I could just focus my time and money on completing my flight training first, and then get my degree down the road.
You could do it either way, especially since you have an AS degree. You'd just need to make sure you finish the degree quickly once you get to a regional, so you don't end up wasting time when you're otherwise competitive.
You will have no trouble getting a CFI or regional job without a degree. Same for many entry-level GA jobs.
But for the major airlines, your options will be limited. For the top tier majors, you will essentially not be getting hired (odds are less than 1% and those few folks need to have some pretty remarkable aviation credentials (or friends).
For some ULCC/LCC airlines you could probably get hired eventually but it would likely take longer and there's some risk. Since you're already halfway there might as well finish it.
Alternative is AA wholly-owned regionals... they will have a flow program to AA which does not require a degree. That will probably take longer and carries the risk that if something happens to the flow (it has in the past), you'd be stuck for the duration.
You could do it either way, especially since you have an AS degree. You'd just need to make sure you finish the degree quickly once you get to a regional, so you don't end up wasting time when you're otherwise competitive.
You will have no trouble getting a CFI or regional job without a degree. Same for many entry-level GA jobs.
But for the major airlines, your options will be limited. For the top tier majors, you will essentially not be getting hired (odds are less than 1% and those few folks need to have some pretty remarkable aviation credentials (or friends).
For some ULCC/LCC airlines you could probably get hired eventually but it would likely take longer and there's some risk. Since you're already halfway there might as well finish it.
Alternative is AA wholly-owned regionals... they will have a flow program to AA which does not require a degree. That will probably take longer and carries the risk that if something happens to the flow (it has in the past), you'd be stuck for the duration.
FA
01-21-2020, 07:20 PM
#4
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Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
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Rick, does the top tier majors include cargo flights like FedEx or corporate, or passenger airlines considered top tier? I'll start working on my degree sooner than later then since you point out how competitive it is to get to where I want to be. I have a lot of flexibility and good income coming in from my hospital job so I'm thinking of going to a part 61 school, flying 2-3 times a week while working part time and keeping my expenses down to a minimum. I can start taking some online classes too while I'm doing that so that I have it even before I reach the regionals. Thanks for all of your advice.
FA
FA
Second vs. third tier majors is a blurry line. Safe I think to say that AS, HA, JB are second tier, Sunny and F9 are third tier. Anything else is subject to (likely violent) debate. Some might even argue that SW is second tier these days since they don't have widebodies ($) and don't have as many retirements as the others. The tier rankings in this context are NOT about the quality of the company, but rather the quality of the opportunity for a pilot hired TODAY (vice 30 years ago).
Corporate is whole different world. there are a very few great opportunities in corporate (known as "unicorns"), but for the most part corporate pilots will enjoy less money and QOL than (major) airline pilots. In many cases they still have plenty of money and QOL, so it's not necessarily a horrible place to be. Although on of the downsides is stability, job security is lower in corporate. IMO airlines are better opportunity right now, and it doesn't take a statistics Phd to do the math on the near/mid-term retirements.
01-21-2020, 07:56 PM
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Top tier (aka big six) is conventionally considered to be AA, DL, UA, SWA, FDX, UPS
Second vs. third tier majors is a blurry line. Safe I think to say that AS, HA, JB are second tier, Sunny and F9 are third tier. Anything else is subject to (likely violent) debate. Some might even argue that SW is second tier these days since they don't have widebodies ($) and don't have as many retirements as the others. The tier rankings in this context are NOT about the quality of the company, but rather the quality of the opportunity for a pilot hired TODAY (vice 30 years ago).
Corporate is whole different world. there are a very few great opportunities in corporate (known as "unicorns"), but for the most part corporate pilots will enjoy less money and QOL than (major) airline pilots. In many cases they still have plenty of money and QOL, so it's not necessarily a horrible place to be. Although on of the downsides is stability, job security is lower in corporate. IMO airlines are better opportunity right now, and it doesn't take a statistics Phd to do the math on the near/mid-term retirements.
Second vs. third tier majors is a blurry line. Safe I think to say that AS, HA, JB are second tier, Sunny and F9 are third tier. Anything else is subject to (likely violent) debate. Some might even argue that SW is second tier these days since they don't have widebodies ($) and don't have as many retirements as the others. The tier rankings in this context are NOT about the quality of the company, but rather the quality of the opportunity for a pilot hired TODAY (vice 30 years ago).
Corporate is whole different world. there are a very few great opportunities in corporate (known as "unicorns"), but for the most part corporate pilots will enjoy less money and QOL than (major) airline pilots. In many cases they still have plenty of money and QOL, so it's not necessarily a horrible place to be. Although on of the downsides is stability, job security is lower in corporate. IMO airlines are better opportunity right now, and it doesn't take a statistics Phd to do the math on the near/mid-term retirements.
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