Across the industry, it's not a widespread requirement at all. Very few airlines require a degree (with some notable examples in Turkey). For some it would be seen as a benefit (mostly so because of the personal views of the management on the "degree or no degree" matter). The majority don't give two cents about it though.
In a global context, the Russian system of pilot training is an exception rather than the rule. Indeed, they do require a degree in addition to the pilot licence. And that degree has to be obtained from one of the couple of state-owned academies across the country. The only exception to this is for experienced expat Captains employed with Russian airlines. For everyone else, it's still mandatory.