Majors
Best Colleges for Air Transportation, by Earnings
81 of the colleges we track award a bachelor's degree in Air Transportation, about 6,065 degrees a year. Across the 45 that report earnings, graduates make a median of $81,394 four years after finishing.
| Rank | College | State | Median earnings, 4 years out | Degrees a year | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North Dakota | ND | $104,472 | 337 | 76.9% |
| 2 | Utah State University | UT | $103,989 | 89 | 92.5% |
| 3 | Minnesota State University-Mankato | MN | $103,858 | 105 | 88.4% |
| 4 | Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus | NM | $103,617 | 40 | 91.7% |
| 5 | Liberty University | VA | $102,096 | 484 | 99% |
| 6 | Ohio University-Main Campus | OH | $99,701 | 53 | 85% |
| 7 | Middle Georgia State University | GA | $93,627 | 99 | 99.7% |
| 8 | Eastern Michigan University | MI | $91,648 | 33 | 79.6% |
| 9 | University of Oklahoma | OK | $91,081 | 40 | 76.6% |
| 10 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide | FL | $90,495 | 889 | 57.9% |
| 11 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | FL | $90,495 | 586 | 64.8% |
| 12 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | AZ | $90,495 | 169 | 76.6% |
| 13 | Western Michigan University | MI | $89,564 | 207 | 84.6% |
| 14 | Lewis University | IL | $87,197 | 115 | 71.3% |
| 15 | Everglades University | FL | $86,730 | 54 | 81.5% |
| 16 | Purdue University | IN | $86,161 | 140 | 49.9% |
| 17 | University of Dubuque | IA | $86,081 | 74 | 88.6% |
| 18 | Kansas State University | KS | $85,147 | 69 | 81.7% |
| 19 | Saint Louis University | MO | $83,903 | 36 | 75% |
| 20 | Westminster University | UT | $83,574 | 1 | 66.6% |
| 21 | Louisiana Tech University | LA | $83,323 | 40 | 86.4% |
| 22 | Florida Institute of Technology | FL | $83,243 | 90 | 57.7% |
| 23 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | IL | $81,394 | 171 | 86.9% |
| 24 | University of Alaska Anchorage | AK | $80,981 | 25 | |
| 25 | Middle Tennessee State University | TN | $80,424 | 212 | 69.1% |
| 26 | Arizona State University | AZ | $79,821 | 101 | 89.9% |
| 27 | LeTourneau University | TX | $79,277 | 49 | 38% |
| 28 | Ohio State University | OH | $79,114 | 87 | 60.6% |
| 29 | University of North Texas | TX | $78,166 | 24 | 72.2% |
| 30 | Rocky Mountain College | MT | $77,374 | 33 | 69.6% |
| 31 | Kent State University at Kent | OH | $76,501 | 81 | 86.3% |
| 32 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | OH | $75,845 | 69 | 81% |
| 33 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | OK | $75,469 | 120 | 75% |
| 34 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | NE | $75,314 | 51 | 87% |
| 35 | Central Washington University | WA | $74,997 | 67 | 90.6% |
| 36 | Metropolitan State University of Denver | CO | $72,846 | 102 | 98.8% |
| 37 | California Baptist University | CA | $72,629 | 36 | 84.9% |
| 38 | Farmingdale State College | NY | $72,195 | 58 | 63.3% |
| 39 | Indiana State University | IN | $71,254 | 94 | 80.8% |
| 40 | Bridgewater State University | MA | $70,215 | 42 | 87.8% |
| 41 | Texas A&M University-Central Texas | TX | $70,147 | 33 | 100% |
| 42 | Eastern Kentucky University | KY | $66,943 | 59 | 77.6% |
| 43 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | MD | $62,080 | 12 | 96.4% |
| 44 | CUNY York College | NY | $57,665 | 21 | 64.1% |
| 45 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon | PR | $49,222 | 32 | 39.6% |
36 more colleges award this degree but have no earnings figure, usually because the program is small.
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Frequently asked questions
Which college has the highest-paid Air Transportation graduates?
University of North Dakota ($104,472), Utah State University ($103,989), Minnesota State University-Mankato ($103,858), Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus ($103,617), Liberty University ($102,096) report the highest median earnings four years after graduation.
How much do Air Transportation majors make?
The median across 45 colleges is $81,394 four years after graduation. By college it runs from $49,222 to $104,472.
Which colleges have the biggest Air Transportation programs?
By bachelor's degrees awarded in a year: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide (889), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach (586), Liberty University (484), University of North Dakota (337), Middle Tennessee State University (212).
Does a higher-earning program mean a better program?
Not on its own. Earnings reflect where graduates live, what jobs they take, and who enrolled in the first place, as well as the teaching. The figures cover only graduates who received federal financial aid, and small programs are left out, so a college missing from this list may still have a strong department.
Source: College Scorecard, Most Recent Data by Field of Study (U.S. Department of Education), 2026-06-10 release, federal program category "Air Transportation". Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal financial aid, working and not enrolled, four years after a bachelor's degree.
