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Pilot plant technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a pilot plant technician. Pilot plant technicians usually study chemistry, business, or electrical engineering. 58% of pilot plant technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 755 real pilot plant technician resumes to see exactly what pilot plant technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for pilot plant technicians are the Southern Illinois University Carbondale and the Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

There are also many online pilot plant technician courses to help get the education required to be a pilot plant technician.

What education do you need to become a pilot plant technician?

What degree do you need to be a pilot plant technician?

The most common degree for pilot plant technicians is bachelor's degree, with 58% of pilot plant technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 10%.
  • Bachelor's, 58%
  • Associate, 24%
  • High School Diploma, 10%
  • Master's, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a pilot plant technician?

You should major in chemistry to become a pilot plant technician. 15% of pilot plant technicians major in chemistry. Other common majors for a pilot plant technician include business and electrical engineering.

Most common colleges for pilot plant technicians

Pilot plant technicians often get their degrees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, University of Phoenix, and San Jose State University. Here are the most common colleges for pilot plant technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Pilot plant technician common collegePercentages
Southern Illinois University Carbondale8.82%
University of Phoenix8.82%
San Jose State University7.35%
Purdue University7.35%
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities5.88%

Best majors for pilot plant technicians

RankMajorPercentages
1Chemistry14.9%
2Business12.1%
3Electrical Engineering11.3%
4Biology9.3%
5Chemical Engineering7.7%

Best colleges for pilot plant technicians

The best colleges for pilot plant technicians are Duke University, Harvard University, and Stanford University.

A pilot plant technician 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 technicians. 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 technicians.

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

2. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

8. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

20 best online courses for pilot plant technicians

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Top 10 most affordable universities for pilot plant technicians

The most affordable schools for pilot plant technicians are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for pilot plant technicians 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 technicians.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

10. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for pilot plant technicians

The hardest universities for pilot plant technicians to get into are Duke University, Harvard University, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for pilot plant technicians 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 technicians 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. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

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. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

7. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,520

8. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

9. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

10. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for pilot plant technicians

The easiest schools for pilot plant technicians to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, notre dame de namur university, and d'youville college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a pilot plant technician 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 technicians.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

4. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

5. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

6. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

7. Marymount University

Arlington, VA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,065

8. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

9. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

10. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

Average pilot plant technician salary by education level

According to our data, pilot plant technicians with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $55,139 annually. Pilot plant technicians with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $51,025.
Pilot plant technician education levelPilot plant technician salary
High School Diploma or Less$50,259
Bachelor's Degree$55,139
Some College/ Associate Degree$51,025

Pilot plant technician education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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