And the logistics of fueling, maintaining, and organizing each of these trips requires a lot of attention and knowledge. Thankfully, individuals with training in Aeronautics & Aviation have just that!
What is an Aeronautics & Aviation Degree?
Aeronautics is the scientific field concerned with the understanding of how to make things fly. Aviation refers to the more practical side, having to do with actually flying the objects themselves. These fields can encompass everything from engineering to organizational management.
If you’re considering another degree but know you want the online education experience, check out College Choice’s list of the Best Online Colleges.
How Much Money Can I Earn Working in Aeronautics & Aviation?
Aeronautics & Aviation involve a broad number of fields and skill sets. This means that students need to learn a lot, but they’ll leave school qualified to pursue a number of different dynamic and compelling careers.
Students more interested in aviation itself can become airfield operations specialists, who have a median income of around $52,000, which is above the national average. Those more focused on the operational aspects can pursue a career as an operations manager, with a median salary of over $100,000!
Why Choose an Online Degree in Aeronautics & Aviation?
Online programs offer comparable academic rigor to traditional academics program, but they also allow students to have a life outside of school. Classes can be accessed in the day or at night, in a café or on a student’s couch. And the technological interactions that online students have will help them transition more smoothly into the modern workforce, where all jobs involve interactions with technology.
What Are the 10 Best Online Aeronautics & Aviation Degrees?
College Choice considers a multitude of factors including institutional success, student well-being, and financial return to develop rankings. Institutional success combines metrics such as endowment, graduation rates and student-to-faculty ratios to measure each school’s ability to provide exemplary and practical education for each student. Student well-being measures how satisfied current and former students felt with the services and programs offered at their school. And finally, financial return looks at the monetary benefits students are likely to receive from each school’s education, balanced against the costs of attendance, namely tuition and student loans.
In the end, these are the 10 Best Online Aeronautics & Aviation Degrees.
2018 Ranking
See our rankings methodology page.
1
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide
Overview
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a group of private universities located in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona, among others. It is the largest, fully-accredited university system specializing in aerospace and aviation in the United States. They have around 3,000 academic staff members and 30,000 total students, as of 2015. Their endowment is around $110 million.
Program Features
Embry-Riddle offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics, which is available through their fully online campus. This is a 120-credit degree program, which includes courses such as:
- Aviation Legislation
- Statistics with Aviation Applications
- Aviation Safety
- Aerodynamics
Students can also add majors or concentrations in some of the following areas: Aeronautical Science, Aviation Maintenance, Aviation History, and aviation/aerospace related coursework in Safety, Security, Transportation, Engineering, and Unmanned Systems.
Notables
Embry-Riddle offers a 4+1 degree program that allows students to pursue their BSA and MSA in only five years. Students begin to take graduate-level courses during their senior year of undergraduate study, before transitioning into the full master’s program (which they can complete in one year). Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate superior academic capability.
2
LeTourneau University
Overview
LeTourneau University is a private university located in Longview, Texas. It is an interdenominational Christian university, which offers programs in engineering, aeronautical science, education, and business. They have around 3,000 total students, which includes their online degree programs for working adults and additional education centers in Dallas and Houston, Texas.
Program Features
LeTourneau offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Studies, which is available fully online. It is a 120-credit program, with sample courses from the program including:
- Aviation Management
- Aviation Safety Factors
- Financial Analysis for Managers
- Business Ethics
Online courses normally last from three to seven weeks, and are generally taken one course at a time. Students from this program have gone on to pursue careers in FBO management, Airport management, or as an Aviation Safety Specialist.
Notables
The program is billed as being ideal for transfer students, as the school makes it easy to turn previous studies or aviation experience into course credit. In addition to the Aviation Studies degree, LeTourneau also offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Professional Flight, Aviation Maintenance Science, and Aviation Management.
3
Hampton University
Overview
Hampton University is a private university located in Hampton, Virginia. Hampton is a historically black university and was founded in 1868 as the Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School. Hampton became a full university in 1984, and now has 4,600 students and an endowment of $263 million.
Program Features
Hampton offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management (Airport Administration). This 122-credit hour program is available to be taken fully online, and is designed primarily for adult learners seeking airport managerial positions. Courses from the degree plan include:
- Airport Finance
- Airline Operations
- Airport Design
- Organizational Behavior
During their final semester, students complete a senior practicum/capstone course, which brings together all of the things that they’ve learned throughout their studies.
Notables
Hampton also offers Associate of Science degrees in Aviation Management (Air Traffic Control) and Flight Education. Applicants to the program should have a high school diploma or GED equivalent. Students must also submit an essay on what is the most important goal for them to achieve in the next ten years.
4
Florida Institute of Technology
Overview
The Florida Institute of Technology is a private university located in Melbourne, Florida. They were founded in 1958 as the Brevard Engineering College, before becoming FIT in 1966. They have five academic colleges: engineering & computing, science, aeronautics, psychology & liberal arts, and business. FIT has around 6,400 total students and 600 academic staff members.
Program Features
Florida Tech has a Bachelor of Arts program in Aviation Management. The program is fully online and requires a total of 121 credits of coursework. Core courses from the aviation major include:
- Airport Management
- Aviation Law
- National Airspace System
- Aviation Research
Students are also required to complete general education requirements on top of their aviation courses. Students also complete an airline business plan, including exploration of topics such as airspace and airfield capacity.
Notables
There is no application fee for applying to Florida Tech’s aviation program. Graduates from the program have gone on to pursue careers as directors of aviation, airport security managers, freight and cargo managers, and general managers of airport operations.
5
Liberty University
Overview
Liberty University is a private, non-profit Christian research university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty is considered the largest Christian university in the world, with more than 15,000 students at its Lynchburg campus, as well as over 110,000 online students. Liberty has 17 colleges, and offers more than 290 bachelors degrees, 315 masters degrees, and 32 doctoral programs.
Program Features
Liberty offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation, offered fully online and completed in an average of 3.5 years. The 100 percent online degree is delivered in eight-week long courses, including options such as:
- Airplane Aerodynamics
- Aviation Safety
- Aviation Human Factors
- Instrumental Ground
Students choose five elective courses to add on to the prescribed core of aviation classes. There are also general education requirements such as elements of physics and Christian Life & Thought that students must also complete.
Notables
Military members may receive up to $250 in discounts per credit-hour, as well as being eligible for transfer credit for their military service. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 for their cumulative undergraduate coursework. Students beneath this level of performance may be admitted for Acceptance on Caution.
6
Eastern New Mexico University
Overview
Eastern New Mexico University is a public university located in Portales, New Mexico. ENMU, also known as “Eastern,” has two other degree-granting branches in Ruidoso and Roswell. The school was originally founded as the Eastern New Mexico Junior College in 1934. They now have 161 full-time academic staff members and 6,000 total students as of Fall 2017.
Program Features
- Aviation Law
- Contemporary Issues in Aviation
- FAA Regulations
- FBO Management
The final course within the degree progression is a senior seminar, which focuses on a particular issue in aviation and involves high-level coursework.
Notables
Students also complete classes in organizational management/leadership, as well as introductory mathematics and economics courses. Students entering the program come from a wide range of aviation-related careers, including ground operations and servicing, ticketing, scheduling, and manufacturing.
7
Everglades University
Overview
Everglades University is a private university with its main campus located in Boca Raton, Florida. Their main campus has 1,500 total students and 200 academic staff members. There are also additional campuses in Orlando, Sarasota, and Tampa. They also house an Online Division through their Boca Raton division.
Program Features
Everglades offers a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Aviation/Aerospace, intended for individuals from within the aviation industry. The 123 credit-hour, fully online program adds a substantial academic background to this professional experience through courses including:
- Airport Planning
- Federal Aviation Regulations
- Aviation Labor Relations
- Aviation and Airport Security
The final course in the program is an aviation capstone course. Students also choose an area of concentration within their major during their course of study.
Notables
Available concentrations within the major include aviation safety, flight operations, management, aviation maintenance management, aviation operations management, and security. The program last approximately 41 months, though this varies based on the amount of transfer credit that a student brings into the program.
8
Lynn University
Overview
Lynn University is a private university located in Boca Raton, Florida. The school was founded in 1962 as Marymount College, before becoming the College of Boca Raton in 1974. They achieved full university status in 1991 and now have a $21 million endowment and a student population of around 2,100.
Program Features
Lynn offers a Bachelor of Science degree program in Aviation Management, which is available fully online. It is a 120-credit hour degree, which can include courses such as:
- Aviation Operations Management
- Global Aviation Regulations and Law
- Aviation Technologies
- Aircrew Training & Ground Personnel
There are aviation electives available that can provide hands-on opportunities through flight training. These are taken in addition to core university curriculum to create a powerhouse degree in the field of aerospace.
Notables
Flight training for the degree occurs at Boca Raton Airport, which is located close to Lynn’s campus. Students will have the opportunity to work with the school’s personal fleet, which includes a Cessana 172 and a DA-42 Twinstar aircraft. Applicants to the program are required to submit a personal statement.
9
Central Washington University
Overview
Central Washington University is a public university located in Ellensburg, Washington. CWU was founded as the Washington State Normal School in 1890, helping to educate future teachers. They became CWU in 1977 and have 12,000 students, most of whom are undergraduates. CWU also has 440 academic staff members and an $18 million endowment.
Program Features
Central Washington offers a Bachelor of Science degree program in Aviation Management, with students choosing a specialization in either Aviation Management or Aviation Maintenance Management. Each specialization has its own series of core courses, but also share general aviation courses including:
- Aviation Career Planning and Professionalism
- Air Transportation
- Legal Ethics and Aviation
- Airport Operations
The Aviation Management specialization requires a total of 88 cedits, which include 43 core credits and 45 specialization credits. The maintenance specialization has similar requirements.
Notables
Students enrolling in the Aviation Maintenance Management program should already posses an FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificate, or a graduate certificate from an FAA-approved 14 CFR Part 147 school. Students in the general management program may transfer up to 22 credits from courses taken at the college of business.
10
Saint Louis University
Overview
Saint Louis University is a private university located in Saint Louis, Missouri. It is a Roman Catholic University, and is the second oldest Jesuit university in the United States. They also operate a campus in Madrid, Spain, which was the first free-standing campus operated by an American university in Europe. They have more than 2,000 academic staff members and 13,500 students.
Program Features
Saint Louise offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management. The program is available fully online through their School of Professional Studies. Highlighted courses from the program include:
- Air Carrier Operations
- Professional Ethics and Standards
- Economics of Air Transportation
- Professional Orientation
There is also an option for students to pursue an internship within the aviation industry – and earn course credit for it. Overall, the degree involves 120 credit-hours of study, made up of 55 core credits, 12 leadership credits, 29 management core credits, and 15-24 emphasis area credits.
Notables
Graduates from St. Louis’s online program have gone on to careers with commercial airliners, fixed-base operations, government, and aircraft manufacturers. The school also stressed that the breadth of the programs curriculum allows students to pursue positions in other technical fields outside of aviation.