Post job

Preflight technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a preflight technician. Preflight technicians usually study graphic design, graphic communications, or business. 59% of preflight technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 54 real preflight technician resumes to see exactly what preflight technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for preflight technicians are the Southern Connecticut State University and the Southern Connecticut State University.

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

What education do you need to become a preflight technician?

What degree do you need to be a preflight technician?

The most common degree for preflight technicians is bachelor's degree, with 59% of preflight technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 14%.
  • Bachelor's, 59%
  • Associate, 23%
  • High School Diploma, 14%
  • Master's, 5%

What should I major in to become a preflight technician?

You should major in graphic design to become a preflight technician. 22% of preflight technicians major in graphic design. Other common majors for a preflight technician include graphic communications and business.

Most common colleges for preflight technicians

Preflight technicians often get their degrees at Southern Connecticut State University, Western Illinois University, and Columbus State University. Here are the most common colleges for preflight technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Preflight technician common collegePercentages
Southern Connecticut State University5.00%
Western Illinois University5.00%
Columbus State University5.00%
Pacific Union College5.00%
Emerson College5.00%

Best majors for preflight technicians

RankMajorPercentages
1Graphic Design21.6%
2Graphic Communications13.5%
3Business5.4%
4Fine Arts5.4%
5Photography5.4%

Best colleges for preflight technicians

The best colleges for preflight technicians are Northeastern University, New York University, and Southern Methodist University.

A preflight 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 preflight 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 preflight technicians.

1. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

2. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

4. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Enrollment

23,708

5. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

6. New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, NJ • Private

In-state tuition

$17,338

Enrollment

7,820

7. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Enrollment

7,938

8. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$54,492

Enrollment

6,448

9. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Enrollment

31,441

10. Daemen College

Amherst, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$28,580

Enrollment

1,712

20 best online courses for preflight technicians

Advertising disclosure

1. Digital Design Masterclass For Graphic Designers

udemy
4.7
(1,245)

Icon Set Design, E-book cover, Digitizing Sketches, Social Media Design, Wordpress Web Design, Adobe Xd, GIFS and more!...

2. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

udemy
4.6
(2,666)

Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...

3. IT/Desktop Computer Support- Troubleshooting for Technicians

udemy
4.2
(306)

Learn how to troubleshoot desktop computer issues as an IT Support Technician on real-world organisational networks...

4. Graphic Design Mastery- AI, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign

udemy
4.4
(4,233)

Graphic Design for beginners including Graphic Design Theories, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, AI & Creative Thinking...

5. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

udemy
4.5
(941)

Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...

6. Master Graphic Design & Software with Practical Projects

udemy
4.5
(737)

Conquer Popular Graphic Design Projects: Logo, Package, Magazine, Book Cover Design, Branding, Digital Graphics & More!...

7. Graphic Design Masterclass: Learn Graphic Design in Projects

udemy
4.5
(2,609)

Graphic design principles, typography, & color mastery using Illustrator, In Design, and Photoshop. For beginners & more!...

8. 47 Graphic Design Projects for Photoshop Beginners

udemy
4.8
(324)

Photoshop graphic design for beginners!  Includes 47 Photoshop projects for your graphic design portfolio...

9. Adobe Photoshop Graphic Design

udemy
4.1
(385)

Design 4 Beautiful eye catching Graphic Design Projects from Scratch with Adobe Photoshop Graphic Design Basics...

10. Graphic Design Mastery: The FULL Branding & Design Process

udemy
4.7
(1,014)

Follows the FULL Graphic Design Process for A Company: Logo, Ad, Social Media, T-Shirt, Package, Website Design & More!...

11. Surviving Digital Forensics: Link Files

udemy
4
(263)

A computer forensic guide for understanding LINK file evidence on Windows computer systems...

12. Adobe Photoshop CC: A Beginner to Advanced Photoshop Course

udemy
4.6
(21,143)

You can learn Adobe Photoshop CC. Graphic Design, Photo Editing & Retouching, Learn it all with this Photoshop class...

13. Graphic Design Masterclass Intermediate: The NEXT Level

udemy
4.6
(4,276)

Up Your Graphic Design Skills: Logo Design, Photo Manipulation, Package Design, Infographics, Portfolio Building, Grids!...

14. Logo Design Mastery In Adobe Illustrator

udemy
4.6
(4,337)

Learn Logo Design Theory, The Creative Process, How to Work With Clients & Master Adobe Illustrator Tools...

15. Graphic Design Masterclass - Learn GREAT Design

udemy
4.7
(55,714)

The Ultimate Graphic Design Course Which Covers Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design,Design Theory, Branding and Logo Design...

16. Graphic Design Bootcamp: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign

udemy
4.5
(16,167)

Bestselling Beginner Course! Use Photoshop, Illustrator, & In Design for logo design, web design, poster design, and more...

17. Photoshop Beginners Mastery: Zero to Hero in Photoshop

udemy
4.5
(6,439)

Learn Photoshop quickly and easily with essentials of Adobe Photoshop to produce beautiful images in Adobe Photoshop...

18. Customer Service

udemy
4.6
(11,267)

How to Approach New Customers and Maintain Existing Ones...

19. [2023] Customer Service 2.0: Learn Digital Customer Service

udemy
4.5
(3,956)

Used by Chase®, Intel®, & more! Learn soft skills, social media customer service, diagnosing user problems, & more...

20. Become a Professional Graphic Designer

udemy
4.5
(1,644)

Learn what you need to know to break into the world of graphic design...

Top 10 most affordable universities for preflight technicians

The most affordable schools for preflight technicians are Brigham Young University, fashion institute of technology, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for preflight 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 preflight technicians.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

5. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

6. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Cost of attendance

23,600

7. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Cost of attendance

25,228

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. Brigham Young University - Hawaii

Laie, HI • Private

In-state tuition

$5,560

Cost of attendance

18,043

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for preflight technicians

The hardest universities for preflight technicians to get into are Northeastern University, New York University, and Southern Methodist University.

Some great schools for preflight 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 preflight 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. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

2. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

3. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

7. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,465

8. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,336

9. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,321

10. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for preflight technicians

The easiest schools for preflight technicians to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, notre dame de namur university, and kean university.

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

1. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

4. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

7. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

8. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

9. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

10. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

Average preflight technician salary by education level

Preflight technician education levelPreflight technician salary
High School Diploma or Less$53,473

Preflight technician education FAQs

Search for preflight technician jobs

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.

Browse production and manufacturing jobs