Best Schools for Aviation in 2026
These are the top schools offering Aviation, ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Aviation graduate earns $42,988/yr across 10 schools.
All Aviation Programs Ranked
Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.
| # | School | TSW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Central Oregon Community College
Bend, OR · Aviation |
60
57–61 |
$48,594/yr | 48.2x |
| 2 |
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide
Daytona Beach, FL · Aviation |
59
55–61 |
$66,957/yr | 35.2x |
| 3 |
Community College of Beaver County
Monaca, PA · Aviation |
59
51–60 |
$45,028/yr | 61.5x |
| 4 |
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, FL · Aviation |
52
47–53 |
$66,957/yr | 9.0x |
| 5 |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL · Aviation |
49
43–51 |
$39,956/yr | 30.2x |
| 6 |
Northwestern Michigan College
Traverse City, MI · Aviation |
51
49–52 |
$37,988/yr | 34.5x |
| 7 |
Texas State Technical College
Waco, TX · Aviation |
50
43–52 |
$35,008/yr | 41.3x |
| 8 |
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology
Tulsa, OK · Aviation |
44
38–45 |
$35,377/yr | 18.4x |
| 9 |
Aviator College of Aeronautical Science and Technology
Fort Pierce, FL · Aviation |
40
36–41 |
$32,339/yr | 8.4x |
| 10 |
International Air and Hospitality Academy
Vancouver, WA · Aviation |
38
34–40 |
$21,676/yr | — |
Methodology
Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (projected earnings vs. program tuition).
Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.