Flight controls engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a flight controls engineer. Flight controls engineers usually study aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering. 71% of flight controls engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 119 real flight controls engineer resumes to see exactly what flight controls engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for flight controls engineers are the Purdue University and the Purdue University.

There are also many online flight controls engineer courses to help get the education required to be a flight controls engineer.

What education do you need to become a flight controls engineer?

What degree do you need to be a flight controls engineer?

The most common degree for flight controls engineers is bachelor's degree, with 71% of flight controls engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 20% and master's degree degree at 8%.

Bachelor's, 71%

Master's, 20%

Associate, 8%

Doctorate, 1%

What should I major in to become a flight controls engineer?

You should major in aerospace engineering to become a flight controls engineer. 32% of flight controls engineers major in aerospace engineering. Other common majors for a flight controls engineer include electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

Aerospace Engineering, 32%

Electrical Engineering, 19%

Mechanical Engineering, 15%

Engineering, 6%

Other Majors, 28%

Most common colleges for flight controls engineers

Flight controls engineers often get their degrees at Purdue University, University of Texas at Austin, and Georgia Institute of Technology. Here are the most common colleges for flight controls engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Flight controls engineer common college	Percentages
Purdue University	16.22%
University of Texas at Austin	8.11%
Georgia Institute of Technology	8.11%
University of Southern California	8.11%
University of Maryland - College Park	8.11%

Show more common flight controls engineer colleges

Best majors for flight controls engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Aerospace Engineering	32.1%
2	Electrical Engineering	18.5%
3	Mechanical Engineering	14.8%
4	Engineering	6.2%
5	Aviation	3.7%

Show more common flight controls engineer majors

Best colleges for flight controls engineers

The best colleges for flight controls engineers are California Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and Stanford University.

A flight controls engineer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for flight controls engineers. 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 flight controls engineers.

1. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

2. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

7. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

20 best online courses for flight controls engineers

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1. Fundamentals of Flight mechanics

How do planes take off? How do they fly? How do pilots maintain control of them? And how high can airplanes fly? Get answers to all these questions and more with this specialization exploring the fundamentals of flight mechanics. You will learn how the laws of physics apply to airplanes and discover important concepts in aviation including lift, drag, and propulsion...

2. Flight mechanics - Propulsive balance and energy

This course is dedicated to energy management, i.e. speed and altitude control. The various sources of drag are first described and modeled, as well as thrust origin, and evolution with speed and altitude. Using these models, we can evaluate the propulsive balance and derive important concepts like flight regimes, best climb speed, or propulsion ceiling. We take then a glance at cruise performances and the evolution of range with weight. This course is a part of the specialization "Fundamentals...

3. Flight Mechanics - From Theory to Certification of Aircraft

4.5

(403)

Modeling theory, aircraft 6DOF simulation, flight dynamics, flight simulators and aircraft certification...

4. Airline Operations: Flight Planning and Flight Dispatch

4.3

(702)

Airline Operations: Master the essentials of aviation - aircraft operational control and dispatch...

5. Flight mechanics - Lift and trajectory

In this course, you will understand the influence of the angle of attack and speed on the lift. Then we will focus on hazards and limitations, like stall, spiral dive, or flutter. You will understand why stall phenomenon and Mach number limit the maximum lift and altitude the airplane can achieve. Then, you must understand what is flutter and why the altitude and speed of the airplane must be restricted to a safe domain. In the end, we will explain how to control the trajectory of the airplane...

6. Flight Mechanics - Anemobarometry

This course focuses on the physics of the atmosphere and its consequences on speed and altitude measurements. At the end of this course, you will understand precisely the meaning of the speed and altitude indication available to the pilot of an airplane. You will understand the difference between standard and actual atmosphere and be able to perform basic altitude and speed correction computations. You will understand why jet airliners need to be pressurized, or why a clogged Pitot tube can...

7. Control Systems: From Mathematical Modelling to PID Control

4.2

(791)

Learn the mathematics that will allow you to model and control any engineering system. Make machines do what you want!...

8. Aerospace Engineering: Aircraft Fundamentals and Advanced

4.6

(2,504)

Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering: Master the Mechanics of Airplanes - Aerodynamics, Flight Maneuvers, JET Engines...

9. PID Controllers - Intro to Control Design

4.2

(338)

Learn to write your own control software while learning fundamental control theory...

10. Applied Control Systems 3: UAV drone (3D Dynamics & control)

4.6

(292)

Modeling + state space systems + Model Predictive Control + feedback control + Python simulation: UAV quadcopter drone...

11. Aerospace Engineering: Aircraft Systems and Avionics

4.6

(960)

Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering: Master the Systems of Airplanes - Hydraulics, Avionics, Electric, Propulsion...

12. Model, Simulate and Control a Drone in MATLAB & SIMULINK

4.3

(603)

Simulate a DJI Mavic Pro in Matlab & SIMULINK and design your own PID controllers for altitude and attitude control...

13. Control Systems Made Simple Beginner's Guide

4.4

(798)

Learn fundamentals of Mechanical & electrical system modeling, simulation and control with this unique practical course!...

14. Requirements Engineering: Software Engineering

4.4

(754)

Everything you need to know about software requirements: elicitation, analysis, documentation, validation and management...

15. Part 1 FAA Private Pilot Ground School (Part 61)

4.6

(731)

Introduction to flight training, Aircraft Structure, Systems and Flight Instruments...

16. Model a Car and Design a PID Controller in MATLAB/SIMULINK

4.3

(806)

Model and simulate an electric car (Tesla Model S) in MATLAB & SIMULINK and design your own PID speed controller...

17. Phantom & Mavic Flightschool - flight training & Go4 app

4.5

(402)

Master your flying skills & the DJI Go flight modes like Tapfly, Active Track, Waypoints, Point of interest & more!...

18. Applied Control Systems 1: autonomous cars: Math + PID + MPC

4.6

(1,142)

Modeling + state space systems + PID + Model Predictive Control + Python simulation: lateral control for autonomous cars...

19. Internal Controls - Design, Implementation and Monitoring

4.4

(1,188)

Become a compliance specialist, maintain strong internal controls for SOX or FCPA, prepare for internal & external audit...

20. Complete Field Instrumentation Engineering Course

4.3

(259)

Flow, Level, Temperature and Pressure Instrument - Selection, Sizing, Calculation and Detail Engineering...

Top 10 most affordable universities for flight controls engineers

The most affordable schools for flight controls engineers are California State University - Long Beach, university of florida, and california state polytechnic university, pomona.

If the best universities for flight controls engineers 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 flight controls engineers.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

7. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

10. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for flight controls engineers

The hardest universities for flight controls engineers to get into are California Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for flight controls engineers 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 flight controls engineers 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. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,566

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

5. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

6. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

7. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,545

9. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for flight controls engineers

The easiest schools for flight controls engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and cleveland state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a flight controls engineer 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 flight controls engineers.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

4. Pennsylvania State University - Berks

Reading, PA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,107

5. Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

957

6. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

7. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,068

8. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

9. Wichita State University

Wichita, KS • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,152

10. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona

Altoona, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,094

Average flight controls engineer salary by education level

Flight controls engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $108,589 annually. With a Master's degree, flight controls engineers earn a median annual income of $104,472 compared to $97,596 for flight controls engineers with an Bachelor's degree.

Flight controls engineer education level	Flight controls engineer salary
Master's Degree	$104,472
Bachelor's Degree	$97,596
Doctorate Degree	$108,589

Flight controls engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Flight Controls Engineers?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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