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Engine pilot education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an engine pilot. Engine pilots usually study aviation, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering. 62% of engine pilots hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 88 real engine pilot resumes to see exactly what engine pilot education sections show.
The most common colleges for engine pilots are the University of Southern California and the University of Southern California.
There are also many online engine pilot courses to help get the education required to be an engine pilot.
What education do you need to become an engine pilot?
What degree do you need to be an engine pilot?
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Master's, 19%
- Associate, 9%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become an engine pilot?
Most common colleges for engine pilots
| Engine pilot common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Southern California | 12.50% |
| University of Florida | 8.33% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 8.33% |
| Montana State University - Bozeman | 4.17% |
| Florida Institute of Technology | 4.17% |
Best majors for engine pilots
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aviation | 15.2% |
| 2 | Mechanical Engineering | 13.0% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 10.9% |
| 4 | Business | 8.7% |
| 5 | General Studies | 4.3% |
Best colleges for engine pilots
The best colleges for engine pilots are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Johns Hopkins University.
An engine pilot with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for engine pilots. 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 engine pilots.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
4. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
7. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
20 best online courses for engine pilots
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Top 10 most affordable universities for engine pilots
The most affordable schools for engine pilots are University of Florida, suny farmingdale, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for engine pilots 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 engine pilots.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for engine pilots
The hardest universities for engine pilots to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for engine pilots 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 engine pilots 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. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
10. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for engine pilots
The easiest schools for engine pilots to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, texas a&m; university - kingsville, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an engine pilot 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 engine pilots.
1. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
2. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
5. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
6. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
9. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
10. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
Average engine pilot salary by education level
| Engine pilot education level | Engine pilot salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $105,796 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $103,357 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025