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Unmanned equipment operator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an unmanned equipment operator. Unmanned equipment operators usually study biology, business, or communication. 40% of unmanned equipment operators hold a associate degree, and 30% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 31 real unmanned equipment operator resumes to see exactly what unmanned equipment operator education sections show.

The most common colleges for unmanned equipment operators are the Red Rocks Community College and the Red Rocks Community College.

There are also many online unmanned equipment operator courses to help get the education required to be an unmanned equipment operator.

What education do you need to become an unmanned equipment operator?

What degree do you need to be an unmanned equipment operator?

The most common degree for unmanned equipment operators is associate degree, with 40% of unmanned equipment operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 30% and high school diploma degree at 30%.
  • Associate, 40%
  • High School Diploma, 30%
  • Bachelor's, 30%

What should I major in to become an unmanned equipment operator?

You should major in biology to become an unmanned equipment operator. 22% of unmanned equipment operators major in biology. Other common majors for an unmanned equipment operator include business and communication.

Most common colleges for unmanned equipment operators

Unmanned equipment operators often get their degrees at Red Rocks Community College, Missouri Southern State University, and University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Here are the most common colleges for unmanned equipment operators in the US based on their resumes.
Unmanned equipment operator common collegePercentages
Red Rocks Community College33.33%
Missouri Southern State University16.67%
University of Louisiana at Lafayette16.67%
Bowling Green State University16.67%
University of Phoenix16.67%

Best majors for unmanned equipment operators

RankMajorPercentages
1Biology22.2%
2Business22.2%
3Communication11.1%
4Intelligence Operations11.1%
5Criminal Justice11.1%

Best colleges for unmanned equipment operators

The best colleges for unmanned equipment operators are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Johns Hopkins University.

An unmanned equipment 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 unmanned equipment 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 unmanned equipment operators.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Enrollment

9,394

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

6. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

7. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

8. University of North Texas

Denton, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,852

Enrollment

31,375

9. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

10. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

20 best online courses for unmanned equipment operators

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Top 10 most affordable universities for unmanned equipment operators

The most affordable schools for unmanned equipment operators are SUNY Farmingdale, baruch college of the city university of new york, and university of florida.

If the best universities for unmanned equipment 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 unmanned equipment operators.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

6. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

9. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

10. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for unmanned equipment operators

The hardest universities for unmanned equipment operators to get into are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for unmanned equipment 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 unmanned equipment 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for unmanned equipment operators

The easiest schools for unmanned equipment operators to get into are Barry University, adventhealth university, and oregon institute of technology.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an unmanned equipment 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 unmanned equipment operators.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

3. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

5. California University of Pennsylvania

California, PA • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,007

6. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

7. Indiana State University

Terre Haute, IN • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,019

8. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

9. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

10. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

Average unmanned equipment operator salary by education level

According to our data, unmanned equipment operators with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $48,605 annually. Unmanned equipment operators with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $47,108.
Unmanned equipment operator education levelUnmanned equipment operator salary
Master's Degree$48,605
High School Diploma or Less$44,992
Bachelor's Degree$46,580
Some College/ Associate Degree$47,108

Unmanned equipment operator 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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