Good college major for flying as a career?

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SJC55

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SJC55
Hey all,

I am 18 years old and currently a community college student, but haven't declared my major yet. Right now, I am working towards transferring to a four-year university.

If I were to pursue flying as a career, what would a good major be? Mechanical Engineering? Aeronautical Engineering?

Thanks in advance!
 
The airlines just want you to have a four-year degree and have no interest in what your major was. For you, it is important to choose a field where you can make some money while on furlough from the airlines.

Bob Gardner
 
bobmrg said:
The airlines just want you to have a four-year degree and have no interest in what your major was. For you, it is important to choose a field where you can make some money while on furlough from the airlines.

Bob Gardner
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Ok, that makes sense. Thanks!
 
bobmrg said:
The airlines just want you to have a four-year degree and have no interest in what your major was. For you, it is important to choose a field where you can make some money while on furlough from the airlines.

Bob Gardner
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Great advice.

When in doubt, get a business degree. Make sure to take a couple of electives in accounting and business law.
 
ChrisRikli said:
Great advice.

When in doubt, get a business degree. Make sure to take a couple of electives in accounting and business law.
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Where is the "gag me with a spoon" smilie?

Mechanical or electrical engineering leaves you with a lot of options (including aerospace) if you end up loosing your medical some day. But personally, Control Systems Engineering (which can be done under mechanical or electrical depending on the school) looks to be a really good choice - as more and more things get more and more complex controls (everything from washing machines, to robots, to cars, to aircraft, to satellites...) more people versed in control systems engineering are required.
 
SJC55 said:
Hey all,

I am 18 years old and currently a community college student, but haven't declared my major yet. Right now, I am working towards transferring to a four-year university.

If I were to pursue flying as a career, what would a good major be? Mechanical Engineering? Aeronautical Engineering?

Thanks in advance!
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A casual acquaintance of mine is a Captain for American Airlines. His degree is in Meteorology. I think it's a perfect skill to complement being an airline pilot.

There are some pilots with Aeronautical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering degrees. This also seems to be a great match.

My $0.02,
Doc
 
What is it (besides aviation) that you love to do? I'm convinced that you have equal chances getting hired with a 4-year degree in art, music, history, etc., as with a degree in aerospace. One airline pilot I talked to said those kind of people make for much more interesting conversations on long legs in the cockpit!

I would echo the sentiment to choose something that would make you employable during periods of furlough or if you would loose your medical.
 
I'd stick with something like paramedic, firefighter or nurse. Maybe I'm biased. But I will ALWAYS have a job.

Nurses working per diem/daily temp work can pull down >$40/HR in some markets. Full time RN >$20/HR to start and can approach $30 HR with experience. (and that's not California, that's Texas). Different markets pay different, but it's generally good.
 
civil engineer would be great, great side job w good pay but you have the science background

you can really mix surveying and flying
 
Biology and molecular genetics. You can get a job after school if the flying thing doesn't work out, and still have great conversations on those long flights.
 
Imho if you spend the tome getting an engineering degree don't waste the effort by becoming a professional pilot. You will earn far more money and have better job security staying engineering than aviation. Not to mention that for a lot of people a four year engineering.g degree takes 5 to 6 years to get. Better to spend your time with a biz degree. More options when you get furloed from the airlines.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
 
Find whichever degree will cost the least, because as a professional pilot you will not have the income to pay back student loans.

I disagree on the business degree. If you learn about business and money, it will destroy your desire to fly professionally.
:hairraise:
 
Get into a field you like.
Try for a field that is hard to export, like nursing, plumbing, computer repair, etc. Doesn't mean you can't be in management.
It's nice to have something that you can do part time, self-employed, etc. for more flexibility.
Maybe you can get flight training in one of the services, especially in the Reserve or National Guard.
The subjects you mention imply you are interested in management or a desk job later, not being a wrench bender. If this is true, my real advice is to become a dentist. Then, you fly your SR22, T6 or Twin Cessna when and where you want, rather than sit right seat in a 40 year old Citation and sleep in broken recliners in a pilot lounge. You fly pretty much on your terms. Fly in the Guard on weekends, as well.
 
I don't see how a business degree is worth the paper it is on. Same as a art or pyschology degree. At least a engineering degree gives you a skill.
 
jnmeade said:
Get into a field you like.
Try for a field that is hard to export, like nursing, plumbing, computer repair, etc. Doesn't mean you can't be in management.
It's nice to have something that you can do part time, self-employed, etc. for more flexibility.
Maybe you can get flight training in one of the services, especially in the Reserve or National Guard.
The subjects you mention imply you are interested in management or a desk job later, not being a wrench bender. If this is true, my real advice is to become a dentist. Then, you fly your SR22, T6 or Twin Cessna when and where you want, rather than sit right seat in a 40 year old Citation and sleep in broken recliners in a pilot lounge. You fly pretty much on your terms. Fly in the Guard on weekends, as well.
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I agree with the dentist part just not the Sr22. I love dentisty it has been great to me. However I fly(own) a Turbo 182T. Takes a lot of dedication for many years but worth all the time and effort.
 
You could always go to A/P school too. There are a lot of places that could use a good mechanic!

And, that gets you near aircraft fairly quickly and possibly in a position to meet folks who know folks who need a young pilot in their group etc etc etc...

Really, depends on your interests and abilities and ultimate goals. Like everyone has said, whatever you choose make sure you are happy in that kind of work and that it will give you choices for jobs.
 
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Argument could be made that perhaps a LEGAL degree might be an asset when it comes to interpreting the FAR's....
 
any degree that will allow you to make a real living is a good start...
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Where is the "gag me with a spoon" smilie?

Mechanical or electrical engineering leaves you with a lot of options (including aerospace) if you end up loosing your medical some day. But personally, Control Systems Engineering (which can be done under mechanical or electrical depending on the school) looks to be a really good choice - as more and more things get more and more complex controls (everything from washing machines, to robots, to cars, to aircraft, to satellites...) more people versed in control systems engineering are required.
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"When in doubt" was the operative verbiage there. If a guy knows he wants to go into engineering, by all means.

But at 18 years old, you have no effing idea what you're going to do in life. You think you do. You don't. I, for example, was convinced I was going to be an ME/EE of some type, so I got my degrees in both. Along the way, my dad insisted I get a business degree as well as, you guessed it, electives in b-law and accounting.

Fifteen years removed from college, the education from my ME/EE collects mental dust while the stuff I learned about contracts, financial statements, and lots of other business crap gets used constantly (and has of course been built upon).

Again, if you want to go into engineering, do it. But having business chops, whatever your career actually ends up being, will earn you a nice premium.
 
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bobmrg said:
The airlines just want you to have a four-year degree and have no interest in what your major was. For you, it is important to choose a field where you can make some money while on furlough from the airlines.

Bob Gardner
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:yeahthat:

Probably the wisest advice I've seen in a while.

What your degree is in just doesn't matter for getting a flying job - lots of flying jobs out there that don't require a degree at all.

What does matter if you plan on flying professionally, is having something to fall back on when the times are tough.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Mechanical Engineers build weapons. Civil Engineers build targets.
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And they also get outsourced to India, along with EE's. My point is, pick something else you like and combine it with some business courses to enable a diverse background so you can adapt to change.
 
Jeanie said:
Really, depends on your interests and abilities and ultimate goals. Like everyone has said, whatever you choose make sure you are happy in that kind of work and that it will give you choices for jobs.
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I agree with this. Don't get a degree in a field which doesn't interest you just because someone else says that you can make a lot of money doing whatever it is. Also, the jobs that are hot now may not be hot 10-20 years down the road either because too many people hear the same message or the field becomes obsolete. That's not even counting outsourcing to other countries.

As far as being a fallback, the further away you get from college in years the more difficult it becomes to fall back on whatever you studied at that time. I know a number of pilots with engineering degrees who looked into going back to it but discovered that 15 years down the road the industry had changed quite a bit. They would have needed to go back to school again to be competitive.
 
Get a degree that allows you to be flexible, most of the aviation degrees are not in this category..think generic FWIW I did Public Administration ...it covers a bunch of stuff. Bob is right, the airlines dont give a damn about your major, its just another filter for the HR software.
 
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I'd get a degree in what interests you. If its aviation, then aerospace engineering or aviation management or something of that ilk. Build a career doing something other than flying. Be successful enough to buy an airplane, and fly when you want where you want, silly costume optional. Flying for the airlines sounds miserable.
 
Anthony said:
And they also get outsourced to India, along with EE's.
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It's not a concern for good engineers. We are having extreme trouble filling up reqs. Even gone to job fairs, and then 800 candidates apply to 12 positions, none knows how to spell "programming". And it's getting worse and worse. How did we end with 9% unemployment, it's insane.
 
[tonycondon;727687]any degree that will allow you to make a real living is a good start...[/QUOTE]

taters said:
Get a degree that allows you to be flexible, most of the aviation degrees are not in this category..think generic FWIW I did Public Administration ...it covers a bunch of stuff. Bob is right, the airlines dont give a damn about your major, its just another filter for the HR software.
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I have nothing substantive to add, other than to agree with everyone else. My degree was Journalism/Mass Communication, and I got hired just the same as guys with Engineering, Business, and (worthless) aviation degrees. Find something you can stand to do and go with it.
 
ChrisRikli said:
"When in doubt" was the operative verbiage there. If a guy knows he wants to go into engineering, by all means.

But at 18 years old, you have no effing idea what you're going to do in life. You think you do. You don't. I, for example, was convinced I was going to be an ME/EE of some type, so I got my degrees in both. Along the way, my dad insisted I get a business degree as well as, you guessed it, electives in b-law and accounting.

Fifteen years removed from college, the education from my ME/EE collects mental dust while the stuff I learned about contracts, financial statements, and lots of other business crap gets used constantly (and has of course been built upon).

Again, if you want to go into engineering, do it. But having business chops, whatever your career actually ends up being, will earn you a nice premium.
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On the other hand, it's been 36 years since I graduated with a BSEE, and I'm still happily working as an engineer. From my limited experience trying it, it beats the heck out of being a manager and trying to herd cats.
 
Awww...come on.

He needs to major in English. That way he'll have two careers that won't pay the loans.

;)
 
timwinters said:
Awww...come on.

He needs to major in English. That way he'll have two careers that won't pay the loans.

;)
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English major are usually in high demand in corporation, NGOs and non-profits writing grant requests. Especially if they know something other than just their major. A pilot with an English degree and perhaps a little training in airport management can get a pretty sweat job working for an airport authority to extort request money from the FAA.
 
ScottM said:
A pilot with an English degree and perhaps a little training in airport management can get a pretty sweat job working for an airport authority to extort request money from the FAA.
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Lucky English majors. I have to run around the block to sweat.
 
It may have been said already, so I appologize for repeating, but, WHATEVER you do, don't get super in debt going to college, or you will literally screw your self out of an airline career.

Get a good education, but do it the cheapest way possible.

If you go the Pilot -> CFI to build time route -> Regional airline, you're probably looking at at least $40,000 in pilot training debt, and a Regional Airline (at least according to Wayne Phillips - Career Advisor with AOPA) will only pay you maybe $18k to start.

So, paying $40,000 in pilot training, + college degree/school debt, + cost of living, on an $18k salary, will be VERY tough.
 
ajstoner21 said:
It may have been said already, so I appologize for repeating, but, WHATEVER you do, don't get super in debt going to college, or you will literally screw your self out of an airline career.

Get a good education, but do it the cheapest way possible.

If you go the Pilot -> CFI to build time route -> Regional airline, you're probably looking at at least $40,000 in pilot training debt, and a Regional Airline (at least according to Wayne Phillips - Career Advisor with AOPA) will only pay you maybe $18k to start.

So, paying $40,000 in pilot training, + college degree/school debt, + cost of living, on an $18k salary, will be VERY tough.
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Or just don't go in debt. Get a job and pay for the flying as you go. I have no aviation debt, no formal education, and can afford to get about any sort of pilot training I'd so desire. Sure it didn't happen overnight, and I had to work really hard, but good things don't come easy.

If I felt the need to get a college degree I could make that happen too without debt.
 
I didn't plan too far ahead. I got an aerospace engineering degree from Penn State, and I didn't discover flying untill after I had a college degree and a ton of school debt, so, thats just my warning :) I sure am paying or it now.
 
The soft business majors (marketing and management) have become the default for weak college students who don't want to make an effort. That's from a recent NY Times article. Excerpt: "Business majors spend less time preparing for class than do students in any other broad field, according to the most recent National Survey of Student Engagement"

The best education for business management is to major in anything you like as an undergraduate, and then do an MBA. That would be a costly plan, though, for somebody who really wants to be an airline pilot.

Engineering and computer science of course provide a good income. Keep in mind, though, that a lot of students don't survive the first couple of years. If you're starting in a community college, it would be a good idea to ask about your odds of succeeding in the more rigorous courses you'll have to take at a university in calculus, physics and engineering.

If you want a liberal-arts major, Spanish or an Asian language could open some doors for jobs, and it could be helpful for an airline pilot, too.
 
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NoHeat said:
If you want a liberal-arts major, Spanish or an Asian language could open some doors for jobs, and it could be helpful for an airline pilot, too.
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Chinese or Korean maybe, but not Japanese. Firstly, their economy is stagnant and Chinese economy is booming. Secondly, the recent anime craze created a glut of serious weaboos. They have 6 people applying for every position in JET (15 to 1 for JET Ambassador). In the same time, they hire anyone who can spell "Internet" in China. Even airline pilots.
 
timwinters said:
Awww...come on.

He needs to major in English. That way he'll have two careers that won't pay the loans.

;)
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A degree is a degree is a degree. English Lit is as good as any other.
Fact is, the airlines really don't care.
 
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SJC55 said:
Hey all,

I am 18 years old and currently a community college student, but haven't declared my major yet. Right now, I am working towards transferring to a four-year university.

If I were to pursue flying as a career, what would a good major be? Mechanical Engineering? Aeronautical Engineering?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

For flying as a career, the major of the degree is irrelevant, they don't care what it is in. I suggest you find something useful to get a degree in for when the career pilot thing doesn't pan out. I would stay away from high cost aviation degrees, although engineering degrees are always good if that is what you want to do. You can have a degree in Womens Studies for all an airline cares. They just want to know you have the aptitude to study and get a type rating so they don't waste their money trying to train a person who can't learn.
 
zaitcev said:
Chinese or Korean maybe, but not Japanese. Firstly, their economy is stagnant and Chinese economy is booming. Secondly, the recent anime craze created a glut of serious weaboos. They have 6 people applying for every position in JET (15 to 1 for JET Ambassador). In the same time, they hire anyone who can spell "Internet" in China. Even airline pilots.
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I would suggest that anyone in school at this time learn Mandarin.
 
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