Flight operations manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a flight operations manager. Flight operations managers usually study business, aviation, or aerospace engineering. 60% of flight operations managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 470 real flight operations manager resumes to see exactly what flight operations manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for flight operations managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

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

There are certain flight operations manager certifications that you should consider. These flight operations manager certifications include Aircraft Dispatcher (ADX) and Certified Manager Certification (CM).

What education do you need to become a flight operations manager?

What degree do you need to be a flight operations manager?

The most common degree for flight operations managers is bachelor's degree, with 60% of flight operations managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 11%.

Bachelor's, 60%

Associate, 23%

Master's, 11%

High School Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a flight operations manager?

You should major in business to become a flight operations manager. 29% of flight operations managers major in business. Other common majors for a flight operations manager include aviation and aerospace engineering.

Business, 29%

Aviation, 22%

Aerospace Engineering, 9%

Criminal Justice, 6%

Other Majors, 34%

Most common colleges for flight operations managers

Flight operations managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, American University, and University of Memphis. Here are the most common colleges for flight operations managers in the US based on their resumes.

Flight operations manager common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	15.79%
American University	8.77%
University of Memphis	7.02%
Louisiana Tech University	5.26%
New York University	5.26%

Show more common flight operations manager colleges

Best majors for flight operations managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	29.2%
2	Aviation	21.9%
3	Aerospace Engineering	9.1%
4	Criminal Justice	6.4%
5	Human Resources Management	3.2%

Show more common flight operations manager majors

Best colleges for flight operations managers

The best colleges for flight operations managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

A flight operations manager 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 operations managers. 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 operations managers.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

7. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

8. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

9. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Enrollment

32,072

10. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

20 best online courses for flight operations managers

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4. Flight Mechanics - From Theory to Certification of Aircraft

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

7. Operational Risks Management ORM

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Operational Risks Management ORM Case Studies for Risk Management, Compliance, Audit, IS Security, Banking Professionals...

8. Aerospace Engineering: Aircraft Fundamentals and Advanced

4.6

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

9. Supply Chain Management A-Z: Operations & Logistics Basics

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17. Aerospace Engineering: Aircraft Systems and Avionics

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

18. Project Management Training

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20. Refresher course of Safety Management Systems

4.7

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Top 10 most affordable universities for flight operations managers

The most affordable schools for flight operations managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and florida state university.

If the best universities for flight operations managers 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 operations managers.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

8. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for flight operations managers

The hardest universities for flight operations managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for flight operations managers 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 operations managers 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

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

8. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for flight operations managers

The easiest schools for flight operations managers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a flight operations manager 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 operations managers.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

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. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

Average flight operations manager salary by education level

Flight operations managers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $52,911 annually. With a Doctorate degree, flight operations managers earn a median annual income of $51,258 compared to $46,646 for flight operations managers with an Bachelor's degree.

Flight operations manager education level	Flight operations manager salary
Master's Degree	$52,911
High School Diploma or Less	$39,276
Bachelor's Degree	$46,646
Doctorate Degree	$51,258
Some College/ Associate Degree	$40,296

Flight operations manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Flight Operations Managers?

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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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