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Aerial photographer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an aerial photographer. Aerial photographers usually study photography, fine arts, or communication. 57% of aerial photographers hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 108 real aerial photographer resumes to see exactly what aerial photographer education sections show.
The most common colleges for aerial photographers are the Northwest Missouri State University and the Northwest Missouri State University.
There are also many online aerial photographer courses to help get the education required to be an aerial photographer.
What education do you need to become an aerial photographer?
What degree do you need to be an aerial photographer?
- Bachelor's, 57%
- Associate, 22%
- Master's, 10%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an aerial photographer?
- Photography, 18%
- Fine Arts, 12%
- Communication, 8%
- Geography, 8%
- Other Majors, 54%
Most common colleges for aerial photographers
| Aerial photographer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Northwest Missouri State University | 9.52% |
| College of the Atlantic | 4.76% |
| Kansas State University | 4.76% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 4.76% |
| Texas A&M University | 4.76% |
Best majors for aerial photographers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photography | 18.4% |
| 2 | Fine Arts | 12.2% |
| 3 | Communication | 8.2% |
| 4 | Geography | 8.2% |
| 5 | Nursing | 6.1% |
Best colleges for aerial photographers
The best colleges for aerial photographers are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.
An aerial photographer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for aerial photographers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become aerial photographers.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
8. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. SUNY College at New Paltz
New Paltz, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,254
Enrollment
6,586
20 best online courses for aerial photographers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for aerial photographers
The most affordable schools for aerial photographers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and lehman college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for aerial photographers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for aerial photographers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
4. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
10. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for aerial photographers
The hardest universities for aerial photographers to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for aerial photographers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for aerial photographers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
9. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for aerial photographers
The easiest schools for aerial photographers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, wayland baptist university, and curry college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an aerial photographer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for aerial photographers.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
6. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
Average aerial photographer salary by education level
| Aerial photographer education level | Aerial photographer salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $69,527 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $103,766 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $80,445 |
Aerial photographer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025