Flight school more worth it than college?

[Anonymous]

Son is interested in becoming a pilot rather than going to college, and points to the fact that there is going to be a severe shortage of pilots soon, with estimates of up to a shortage of 30,000 pilots by 2025 due to retirements. To tell you the truth, I really do think our son has a very good argument here for not attending college, with the caveat that he actually goes through aviation school to actually become a pilot. Pilots easily make six figures and can make upwards of a lot more if they get into things like freight shipping from my understanding. If you are a pilot, can you confirm or deny they my son's perception of the occupation shortage is correct? I really have no problem with this career choice and for him avoiding lots of student loan debt for a college degree that isn't really relevant to real world jobs. But I do worry if he's off the mark and his plans backfire.

[Anonymous]

What, no? Pilots get paid nothing and burn out very quickly.

[Anonymous]

Yes there’s a shortage only expected to worsen. Have him do both the aviation training and get a college degree. Really doesn’t matter where from but the degree will be a good backup should his health take a turn. Pilots have to be in excellent physical condition.

[Anonymous]

Heres a good overview

https://youtu.be/G4xI-VgM4ME

As of now a college degree is require for a major airline pilot position (there are very few exceptions)

[Anonymous]

wrong link above

https://youtu.be/wFvVlMhSbWA

[Anonymous]

Can he join the Air Force? Many pilots are former military personnel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What, no? Pilots get paid nothing and burn out very quickly.

Median pilot salaries is closer to $200k.

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Transportation-and-Material-Moving/Airline-and-commercial-pilots.htm

It depends too..there are other things you can get into where pilots can easily crack $300, 400, even 500k+.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What, no? Pilots get paid nothing and burn out very quickly.

Median pilot salaries is closer to $200k.

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Transportation-and-Material-Moving/Airline-and-commercial-pilots.htm

It depends too..there are other things you can get into where pilots can easily crack $300, 400, even 500k+.

Who knew that sky truck driver paid so well!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What, no? Pilots get paid nothing and burn out very quickly.

Median pilot salaries is closer to $200k.

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Transportation-and-Material-Moving/Airline-and-commercial-pilots.htm

It depends too..there are other things you can get into where pilots can easily crack $300, 400, even 500k+.

Name them.

--spouse of a pilot

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of colleges that degree tracks for professional pilots. He needs a degree, or he won't be able to get a good job with any major airline.


https://www.eaa.org/eaa/youth/aviation-schools-colleges-and-programs

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that with the regulations passed in 2015 increasing the flight hour requirements to qualify as a commercial airline jet pilot to 1,500, people who try to become pilots outside the military route tend to have a difficult time meeting the hours requirements. Flight school programs themselves usually will give you only a fraction of those hours, and then people typically have to find other flying jobs to get the rest of their hours, like flight instruction (private pilots), aerial photography, sky diving companies, etc. Those jobs tend to be low-paying, though, and the initial flight school is pricey. So while flight schools may try to sell you on their $100k price tags by saying you can become a pilot in two years, in reality to meet the licensing requirements to fly for one of the major airlines, it's likely to be more like 3-4 years and a lot of money out of pocket.

[Anonymous]

There’s a steep curve to both salary and quality of life for airline pilots. Both suck for the first few years, but if you stick with it (and are lucky enough to not get laid off during an airline merger or economic downturn, having to start the seniority ladder over at a new airline), you’ll do well by mid-career.

But, I would strongly advise having a backup career option. There are those pesky economic situations and layoffs (huge numbers of pilots paid off in 2001, 2008-9, 2020-21), not to mention the number of medical situations that can be career killers in middle age. It’s a very unpredictable career. Get a decent degree. There are university programs that can combine flight training with a degree program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What, no? Pilots get paid nothing and burn out very quickly.

Median pilot salaries is closer to $200k.

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Transportation-and-Material-Moving/Airline-and-commercial-pilots.htm

It depends too..there are other things you can get into where pilots can easily crack $300, 400, even 500k+.

Name them.

--spouse of a pilot

If you are willing to live internationally, long-haul captains can pull in $300-500k from Asian airlines. Asia pays top primo dollars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What, no? Pilots get paid nothing and burn out very quickly.

Median pilot salaries is closer to $200k.

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Transportation-and-Material-Moving/Airline-and-commercial-pilots.htm

It depends too..there are other things you can get into where pilots can easily crack $300, 400, even 500k+.

Who knew that sky truck driver paid so well!

Well, I mean they're in charge of hundreds of thousands of lives and billions in freight. You also don't want a plane flying out of the sky and landing in cities. It's a lot more responsibility than a truck driver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can he join the Air Force? Many pilots are former military personnel.

You need college to be an officer to fly and its very hard to be a pilot.

OP, college is important. Do both.