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Aircraft dispatcher education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an aircraft dispatcher. Aircraft dispatchers usually study aviation, business, or aerospace engineering. 55% of aircraft dispatchers hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 668 real aircraft dispatcher resumes to see exactly what aircraft dispatcher education sections show.
The most common colleges for aircraft dispatchers are the Southern Illinois University Carbondale and the Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
There are also many online aircraft dispatcher courses to help get the education required to be an aircraft dispatcher.
There are certain aircraft dispatcher certifications that you should consider. These aircraft dispatcher certifications include Aircraft Dispatcher (ADX) and Certified Aviation Manager (CAM).
What education do you need to become an aircraft dispatcher?
What degree do you need to be an aircraft dispatcher?
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Associate, 20%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 12%
What should I major in to become an aircraft dispatcher?
Most common colleges for aircraft dispatchers
| Aircraft dispatcher common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 9.09% |
| Middle Tennessee State University | 9.09% |
| University of North Dakota | 7.58% |
| Northern Kentucky University | 6.06% |
| Lewis University | 6.06% |
Best majors for aircraft dispatchers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aviation | 42.8% |
| 2 | Business | 16.6% |
| 3 | Aerospace Engineering | 4.8% |
| 4 | Automotive Technology | 4.8% |
| 5 | Management | 3.1% |
Best colleges for aircraft dispatchers
The best colleges for aircraft dispatchers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
An aircraft dispatcher with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for aircraft dispatchers. 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 aircraft dispatchers.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Enrollment
9,394
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. Siena Heights University
Adrian, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$27,124
Enrollment
2,035
4. University of Alaska Anchorage
Anchorage, AK • Private
In-state tuition
$8,580
Enrollment
10,482
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
6. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. Vermont Technical College
Randolph, VT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,108
Enrollment
1,350
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. Baylor University
Waco, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$45,542
Enrollment
14,159
20 best online courses for aircraft dispatchers
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Learn the mathematics that will allow you to model and control any engineering system. Make machines do what you want!...
8. Truck Dispatcher - Working with owner operators
Work and earn...
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Top 10 most affordable universities for aircraft dispatchers
The most affordable schools for aircraft dispatchers are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - los angeles.
If the best universities for aircraft dispatchers 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 aircraft dispatchers.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
4. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
10. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for aircraft dispatchers
The hardest universities for aircraft dispatchers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for aircraft dispatchers 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 aircraft dispatchers 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
8. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,338
9. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
10. Baylor University
Waco, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,307
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for aircraft dispatchers
The easiest schools for aircraft dispatchers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and notre dame college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an aircraft dispatcher 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 aircraft dispatchers.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
6. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
7. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
8. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
9. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
10. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
Average aircraft dispatcher salary by education level
| Aircraft dispatcher education level | Aircraft dispatcher salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,590 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,281 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $47,768 |
Aircraft dispatcher education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025