Aeronautics Degrees (USA)

[Thief13x]

Hi, I'm 18 years old and am going to be heading to school in seven months for what will hopefully lead to a career as an airline or corporate pilot. Right now, I am considering three different schools in Florida, all of which offer a degree and pilot training through a commercial rating. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach has the name, but also has the debt, as it will cost me about 180,000 dollars for a four year degree in Aeronautical Science as well as the flight training. The Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne offers the same program at about 20,000 dollars cheaper. I have also received a 24,000 dollar scholarship to Florida Tech. Last but not least is Jacksonville University in Jacksonville Florida. The university offers a four year degree in Aeronautical Management (at about 50,000 dollars with flight training), and also includes flight training through the commercial rating. I have also received a 28,000 dollar scholarship to Jacksonville.

Now, I have pretty much ruled out Embry Riddle for financial matters, and I have posted this because I need some information and oppinions on an Aeronautical Science degree vs Aeronautical Management. The AM degree will cost me about 40,000 dollars while the AS degree will cost about 100,000. Am I missing somthing? Why is it so much more expensive? Is it that much better? Will I get the job I want with an AM degree? Any input, oppinions and/or information would be greatly appriciated. I am really unsure about what I am going to do at this point. Thanks

Dave

P.S - here are the websites for all three schools...

Florida Tech - http://www.fit.edu/index.html

Embry Riddle - http://www.erau.edu/db/index.html

Jacksonville University - http://www.ju.edu/

[john_tullamarine]

Consider doing an aero engineering degree which gives you an alternative career path to a PE. Then do your flight training .. and follow it up with a good school MBA which gives you some basis for moving into management.

[chock2chock]

Yeah Man! go for it!, did you do SATs? I'm currently studying my brains out to take them in a couple of months, I'm completely sold on Jacksonville University! Just because of the Aviation Management degree, the Delta partnership, and the internship possibilities. I don't see how a degree in aviation science degree like the one offered at Riddle could be helpful in the long run. I think a more business orientated degree would be more suitable. I started a degree in Aero Eng in the UK a few years ago, and I hated it, engineering is too work intensive, especially if you want to have flying as your main priority and career goal. Would you really find a job as an engineer if you were not able to continue flying for your airline? Engineering is not all that well paid anyway, Starting your own business to me sounds far more lucratve (even while you're flying) or working in business/management/marketing for a firm seems a far more possible alternative. Have a look at Purdue University as well or even University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (UIUC) offer a BS in Human factors- an advantage in a career in flight training?

Thunbs UP man on the scolarship!

wish me luck:ok:

[Flyrr100]

Consider this.
US airlines don't really care what your degree is in. A degree in 'underwater basket weaving' is fine so long as you've checked the required box. I've frequently told wouldbe pilots to go and get a business degree. This is a crazy industry. Especially since 9/11. If your airline starts to furlough pilots they'll start at the bottom and work up. On the street, a degree in Pro. Aeronautics won't impress anyone.
My degree is in mechanical engineering! Never used the darn thing!
Good luck.

[sgsslok]

If you wanna land a job at the airlines then i would suggest you to go for Jacksonville. You probably know that they don't conduct the flight training themselves. Instead, the flight training portion is contracted to Delta Connection Academy, which guaranteed a first officer interview at one of the delta connection regional airlines (Comair, Express Jet, etc.) once you reached the required amount of hours (1000 total, 800 dual given, 100 multi, 50 multi dual given). I personally don't know anyone who went through the program and didn't get a job at the airlines.

The main difference between JU and FIT would be the fact that you'll learn about aviation business stuff (airport management, airline management) at JU while at FIT you'll be learning more Mechanical stuff...

ERAU is definitely a big school while JU is a small one... FIT is like right in the middle... if you can, you should go down to florida and visit all 3 schools (or 2, if you have already dropped ERAU)... I do think that Delta would give you space-available tickets to go to Jacksonville if you talk to JU aviation admissions... then you can just rent a car and drive down to melbourne (which is like a 3 hour drive) to visit FIT... you might be able to make a decision after you visit the campuses and see which atmosphere you like the most.....

-Lok