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Pilot plant operator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a pilot plant operator. Pilot plant operators usually study chemical engineering, aviation, or chemistry. 60% of pilot plant operators hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 783 real pilot plant operator resumes to see exactly what pilot plant operator education sections show.
The most common colleges for pilot plant operators are the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach and the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach.
There are also many online pilot plant operator courses to help get the education required to be a pilot plant operator.
What education do you need to become a pilot plant operator?
What degree do you need to be a pilot plant operator?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Associate, 19%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a pilot plant operator?
- Chemical Engineering, 21%
- Aviation, 16%
- Chemistry, 11%
- Business, 10%
- Other Majors, 42%
Most common colleges for pilot plant operators
| Pilot plant operator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach | 7.14% |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | 5.71% |
| Arizona State University | 5.71% |
| University of Pittsburgh | 5.71% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 5.71% |
Best majors for pilot plant operators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemical Engineering | 21.3% |
| 2 | Aviation | 15.6% |
| 3 | Chemistry | 11.3% |
| 4 | Business | 10.0% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 6.3% |
Best colleges for pilot plant operators
The best colleges for pilot plant operators are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A pilot plant operator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for pilot plant operators. 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 pilot plant operators.
1. University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,000
Enrollment
25,973
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
3. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Enrollment
32,072
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
6. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
7. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
8. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Enrollment
27,125
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
20 best online courses for pilot plant operators
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Top 10 most affordable universities for pilot plant operators
The most affordable schools for pilot plant operators are SUNY Farmingdale, florida state university, and inter american university of puerto rico bayamon.
If the best universities for pilot plant operators 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 pilot plant operators.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon
Bayamon, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
13,508
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
6. West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Beckley, WV • Private
In-state tuition
$7,464
Cost of attendance
17,166
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Cost of attendance
24,514
9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla
Aguadilla, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,902
Cost of attendance
13,284
10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Guayama
Guayama, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,902
Cost of attendance
13,893
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for pilot plant operators
The hardest universities for pilot plant operators to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for pilot plant operators 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 pilot plant operators 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. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
6. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
7. Princeton University
Princeton, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,503
8. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for pilot plant operators
The easiest schools for pilot plant operators to get into are California Baptist University, cleveland state university, and bridgewater state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a pilot plant operator 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 pilot plant operators.
1. California Baptist University
Riverside, CA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,103
2. Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,111
3. Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, MA • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,073
4. University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,181
5. Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,080
6. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
7. Salem State University
Salem, MA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,065
8. Westminster College
Salt Lake City, UT • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,185
9. Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,107
10. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
Admissions rate
55%
SAT average
1,143
Average pilot plant operator salary by education level
| Pilot plant operator education level | Pilot plant operator salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,627 |
Pilot plant operator education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025