Best Aviation Schools (2026): 10 Ranked by Salary & ROI
These are the top schools offering Aviation, ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. The score combines graduate earnings, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Aviation graduate earns $42,988/yr across 10 schools.
BLS projects 5.0% employment growth for occupations in this field from 2024–2034, with approximately 60 annual job openings per related program area.
All Aviation Programs Ranked
Click any row for full 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 | — |
Programs by State
Top states by program availability. Click a state for the full in-state ranking.
| State | Programs | Avg Earnings | Avg TSW Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 3 | $55,418/yr | 43 |
| Washington | 1 | $21,676/yr | 31 |
| Texas | 1 | $35,008/yr | 43 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | $45,028/yr | 51 |
| Oregon | 1 | $48,594/yr | 52 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | $35,377/yr | 37 |
| Michigan | 1 | $37,988/yr | 43 |
| Illinois | 1 | $39,956/yr | 43 |
About This Ranking
What we ranked
Best Aviation Schools ranks 10 programs across the United States by the TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines graduate earnings, return on investment, and job-market demand into a single 0-100 metric.
Data sources
Earnings figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, which tracks graduate income one and five years after program completion. Job-market projections use Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 employment data.
How to read the table
Use the sort controls below the headline to re-rank by earnings, ROI, or other metrics. Click any school name for full earnings projections, three-scenario modeling, and detailed program data. Most students attend a school within driving distance — local rankings are usually more actionable than national.
Caveats & limitations
Rankings reflect what the data can measure: post-graduation earnings, debt levels, and broad labor-market trends. They cannot capture program quality nuances like instructor expertise, hands-on equipment access, or industry connections. Treat rankings as a starting point — visit schools and talk to current students before committing.
Methodology
Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), 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.