It's always better to have a degree than not. But remember that a degree takes 3 years. In that same time period you could have a fATPL. Getting the first job is probably the hardest of all and a lot of it is down to having the good fortune to finish at the right time.
Most people become a pilot, then choose their company (or have the choice made for them). But there is another option: Play the long game by joining an airline then becoming a pilot. Take a ground role preferably in flight ops then work and save while building hours. If you live at home and maybe take a second job you could save half the money (£25k ish) in 2 years and easily borrow the other half. When they start hiring cadets if you've kept your nose clean you'll be a shoe-in for an assessment.
Regarding loans - it definitely IS better to borrow rather than save as long as you can comfortably afford the repayments. It gets you where you want to be quicker. If you don't take the loan and instead save up - you could potentially shorten your flying career by 2 years. What does a senior Captain/TRI/TRE make in 2 years?
Last edited by rudestuff; 3rd Jul 2023 at 07:54.