Transport pilot education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a transport pilot. Transport pilots usually study aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or business. 50% of transport pilots hold a bachelor's degree, and 25% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 49 real transport pilot resumes to see exactly what transport pilot education sections show.

The most common colleges for transport pilots are the St. Louis and the St. Louis.

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

What education do you need to become a transport pilot?

What degree do you need to be a transport pilot?

The most common degree for transport pilots is bachelor's degree, with 50% of transport pilots earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 25% and associate degree degree at 15%.

Bachelor's, 50%

Associate, 25%

Master's, 15%

High School Diploma, 5%

Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a transport pilot?

You should major in aerospace engineering to become a transport pilot. 12% of transport pilots major in aerospace engineering. Other common majors for a transport pilot include electrical engineering and business.

Aerospace Engineering, 12%

Electrical Engineering, 8%

Business, 8%

Medical Technician, 8%

Other Majors, 64%

Most common colleges for transport pilots

Transport pilots often get their degrees at St. Louis, University of the Sciences, and Florida State University. Here are the most common colleges for transport pilots in the US based on their resumes.

Transport pilot common college	Percentages
St. Louis	5.26%
University of the Sciences	5.26%
Florida State University	5.26%
University of Memphis	5.26%
University of Alabama at Huntsville	5.26%

Show more common transport pilot colleges

Best majors for transport pilots

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Aerospace Engineering	12.0%
2	Electrical Engineering	8.0%
3	Business	8.0%
4	Medical Technician	8.0%
5	Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies	4.0%

Show more common transport pilot majors

Best colleges for transport pilots

The best colleges for transport pilots are University of Southern California, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, and Vanderbilt University.

A transport pilot with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for transport pilots. 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 transport pilots.

1. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

2. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Enrollment

27,125

3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

4. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$43,884

Enrollment

6,917

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. Oklahoma State University

Stillwater, OK • Private

In-state tuition

$9,019

Enrollment

20,323

10. University of Oklahoma

Norman, OK • Private

In-state tuition

$11,538

Enrollment

21,675

20 best online courses for transport pilots

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Top 10 most affordable universities for transport pilots

The most affordable schools for transport pilots are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for transport pilots 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 transport pilots.

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. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. York College of the City University of New York

Jamaica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,158

Cost of attendance

14,204

8. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for transport pilots

The hardest universities for transport pilots to get into are University of Southern California, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for transport pilots 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 transport pilots 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. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

3. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

4. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

5. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

7. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

8. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,362

9. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,517

10. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

Admissions rate

49%

SAT average

1,347

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for transport pilots

The easiest schools for transport pilots to get into are AdventHealth University, d'youville college, and gwynedd mercy university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a transport pilot 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 transport pilots.

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

3. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

5. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

7. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

8. Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Canton, OH • Private

Admissions rate

75%

SAT average

1,085

9. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

10. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

Average transport pilot salary by education level

According to our data, transport pilots with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $104,896 annually. Transport pilots with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $102,336.

Transport pilot education level	Transport pilot salary
Master's Degree	$104,896
Bachelor's Degree	$102,336

Transport pilot education FAQs

What is the best college for Transport Pilots?

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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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