Q: I am 24 years old and a high school graduate. For the past three years, I have been flight instructing at a local FBO and flying charter in a King Air. I am applying to the regional airlines. I know that there are ways for me to earn a college degree at a local community college or online, but I don’t have the time or motivation to devote to studies. Do I really need a degree to make it as an airline pilot?—John from Poplar Grove, Illinois
A: You do not need a college degree to succeed at all levels of the airline industry, but it’s worth noting that college graduates occupy the flight decks at the largest airlines.
More than 90 percent of the pilots at companies like United, Delta, American, and others have graduated from a college or university. However, it is interesting to note that a significant number of individuals major in areas other than aviation. I know pilots flying for the legacy carriers who are accountants, dentists, small-business owners, and even one who has majored in music.
Not everyone aspires to flying for the mega-airlines. I met a SkyWest captain several years ago who said, “I’m not going anywhere! I enjoy this company so much and the people whom I work with that I am quite happy right here. I could make more bucks at a behemoth airline, but then all I am is a number on a list. I feel like I am a part of something at SkyWest.” Many regional airlines do not require a degreed pilot. But, read on for some insight.
Throughout the 1980s and most of the 1990s, Capt. Bill Traub was vice president of flight standards and training at United Airlines. Traub graduated Brown University with a degree in economics.
Traub suggests that pilots planning a career use college to develop general attributes that are essential for airline employment as well as valuable assets in any field of endeavor. “Maturity, leadership, the ability to work in a team or social situation, and organizational skills are all areas that United looks at. Lacking in any one of these areas is a ‘show stopper’ for us. Students should take every opportunity to develop these strengths through their academic life.”
So, can you move forward without the sheepskin? Certainly. If you have weighed all factors carefully and you still opt out of pursuing a college degree, at least ask yourself “What if?” If you can supply a satisfactory answer that will provide long-term security for you and your family, then go forth.
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