No college degree......

[tjo024]

How far up the ladder could you get as a pilot without a college degree? Could you still make a reasonably good living without the degree? How many of you dont have degrees? Thanks

 

[English]

Private message pilotyip, he has all the answers.

 

[ILStoMinimums]

Private message pilotyip, he has all the answers.

Ask him, or just do a search - you'll find threads with all the degree questions you may have.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

not the degree question AGAIN!

PFT,Degree,PFT,Degree,PFT,Degree..

folks, there IS a "search" option at the top of the page.


but anyways....heck NO! - you dont need a stinkin degree. Heck, there is not even much competition for pilot jobs these days, they will hire any warm body. Dont waste your time sitting in a classroom, experience and hours rules. that is all. Start building that precious flightime while the other losers shell out all those bucks for a dumb degree.

(Thats basically what PilotYipper will post next)

 

[bobbysamd]

Brief pro-degree post

Yip has a point that a college degree has little to do with flying an airplane. Notwithstanding the personal development benefits of a college education, possessing the degree is an employability issue. The airlines and plenty of other aviation companies want it, so, if you don't have it, you will be disadvantaged. Besides, to get many jobs in which you can build hours, such as university aviation programs, you need a degree.

To answer your other two questions, you can get decent-paying pilot work eventually without a college education, but reread the above comments. I have a B.S. in B.A., which I earned long before I started flying.

 

[banned username 2]

Me thinks with sudden Avatar and "Current Position" change that Gulfstream 200 is in school!!!

Enjoy the new ride! Don't forget about us guys flying the "little airplanes"!

 

[pilotyip]

without a degree

I know of pilots hired at NWA, UAL, DAL, Spirit, AirTran, Jet Blue and FedEx without degrees. A degree may open doors, but flight time and experience will get you your flying job. If you go to college on line and get a degree from Bumbble Bee State in lawn cutting you will check the box on your application. In the mean time you are working in your profession building time and producing a fantasic resume. Of the pilots who won WWII very few had college degrees, the same in Vietnam in the Army helo drivers. In both cases these guys did one heck of a job. The degree has nothing to do with flying an airplane. Rules can be learned better with hands on application on the job working for a good company. You will know them better than the UND, ERU, graduates, because you lived it. I know because I hired both. We have number of pilots working for us without degree many making over 100K per year flying the DC-9 as Captain. There is life outside of the pro college rating found on this board.

 

[pilotyip]

Party time

However if having lots of fun, lots of different girls, wild weekend parties, and kicking back for a while, then go to college.
All the time building up alot of debt that will take you forever to pay back while living a proverty wages as an entry level pilot, but you will able to look down on your fellow pilots who do not have degrees. Now the debt part does not count if you have someone sponsering you through collge. After you graduate your sponser could help you through PFT. Woops! wrong thread

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

My obligatory predictable response...

I know of pilots hired at NWA, UAL, DAL, Spirit, AirTran, Jet Blue and FedEx without degrees.

I know pilots at major and national airlines who were hired in the last few years with DUIs-recent DUIs. By PILOTYIPS' flawed logic, one might recommend that an aspiring pilot go out and get a DUI since drinking and driving have little to do with flying. After all, it's your flying that counts. I regularly recommend to folks with trouble in their past to keep plugging, but a lack of a degree is one of the easiest things to overcome...just get one!

If you go to college on line and get a degree from Bumbble Bee State in lawn cutting you will check the box on your application. In the mean time you are working in your profession building time and producing a fantasic resume.

EXACTLY!
I see on this and one from last month that PILOTYIP has changed his tune a bit to a more realistic note. I'd agree fully that for one going the civilian route, getting started with the aviation career and securing a solid, quality, hours-building job and THEN working the degree into your resume while already creating a quality flying backround is a valid option that, for the industrious go-getter, can make a candidate stand out sooner in life. But don't wait until you have 2500TT, 1000PIC and 500ME before you pick up a college catalog. Get on it early, but for the love of foamies in Thailand, GET ON IT!

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Re: Party time

After you graduate your sponser could help you through PFT. Woops! wrong thread

Easy Bobby, he was kidding!

 

[NightFlyer]

Pilotyip,
I'm curious how long your buddies at FedEx ,without a degree, have been there. I've flown with guys that were hired early on that didn't have it but all the guys hired recently have one. I'm not for or against the degree but I can tell you that I certainly wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't possess one. As far as money goes, I didn't have a lot of money for college myself so I had ole Uncle Sam help out and I gained some valuable experince in the process.


NightFlyer

 

[hydroflyer]

You can never have too many career backups. Ever get nervous when you go in for your medical, knowing what hangs in the balance????

 

[banned username 2]

Re: without a degree

Of the pilots who won WWII very few had college degrees, the same in Vietnam in the Army helo drivers. In both cases these guys did one heck of a job.

Hey Dorothy, we're not in Kansas anymore... Times have changed... Things are FAR more competitive than when these guys (whom most are retired by now) were hired...

My question is, if you are SO against getting a degree, why do you have not one, but 2 of them yourself? Did you bump your head and forget what a "waste of time college is"???

If you want to fly professionally AND have the most opportunities available to you, get the degree... If you want to fly some rat-a$$ed Falcon 20 freighters for the rest of your days, by all means don't waste your time in college...

The choice is yours, make it wisely...

 

[Green Banana]

Look, you can’t argue with the numbers. The fact is that 38% of the people in the U.S. have a bachelor’s degree or higher. 87% of the pilots hired at the majors in the last 10 years have a 4 year degree.

 

[FlyingSig]

Re: without a degree

I know of pilots hired at NWA, UAL, DAL, Spirit, AirTran, Jet Blue and FedEx without degrees.

Likewise, I'm curious about these DAL pilots you know. While there are indeed Delta pilots without a degree...they were not hired by Delta. They came there via Western, Pan Am, etc.. To be hired as a pilot by Delta Air Lines, a 4 year degree is a requirement and has been for at least 30 years.

 

[wil]

A lot of pilots don't have degrees. But, what line of flying are you looking into and what are the % of degree holders? The more on your resume the better.
Also, I did a tour of "15 minute callout to Willow Run". Some may love the life but I could not wait to get out! 100K and life on the pager is nothing to write home about-

 

[bobbysamd]

College degrees

In the mean time you are working in your profession building time and producing a fantasic resume.

How? If so many employers want a degree, how will you get those jobs? Besides, without the degree your resume will not be that fantastic.

Of the pilots who won WWII very few had college degrees, the same in Vietnam in the Army helo drivers.

Times were different back in WWII. Not that many members of the population had college. Chuck Yeager did not have a degree. But, nowadays, college is open to nearly anyone, and degrees are expected. Therefore, a degree, from an accredited school, even Bumble Bee State, has to be part of your armament and repertoire.

Here again, why shoot yourself in the foot from the beginning? Get the degree and keep the playing field level.

 

[TurboS7]

Four years of college no degree. I do all the flying that no one else wants to do. So far this year it has taken me to, HNL, Marshall Islands, Guam, Cambodia, Pataya Beach Thailand, Japan, Germany, Belgium,Turkey, Iceland, Goose Bay,Kosovo, Macedonia,Kuwait via Iraq many times,Paris,BDL,RDU, MKJS,IAD,MIA, DEN, SFO,TPA. Now I sit at home with a broken tooth waiting for the dentist. Now last year..........

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Four years of college no degree. I do all the flying that no one else wants to do. So far this year it has taken me to, HNL, Marshall Islands, Guam, Cambodia, Pataya Beach Thailand, Japan, Germany, Belgium,Turkey, Iceland, Goose Bay,Kosovo, Macedonia,Kuwait via Iraq many times,Paris,BDL,RDU, MKJS,IAD,MIA, DEN, SFO,TPA. Now I sit at home with a broken tooth waiting for the dentist. Now last year..........

That sounds like a job that's right up my alley...especially the pattaya Beach part (among others). You would have to admit, though, that most folks doing that sort of flying, at least have a degree from bumblebee tuna state or whatever. I've been an exception to a few rules along the way as well, but I wouldn't recommend one take on those exceptions that I had to OVERCOME to land a decent flying job. Get the sheepskin...one way or another, do it.

 

[TEXAN AVIATOR]

Look, you can’t argue with the numbers. The fact is that 38% of the people in the U.S. have a bachelor’s degree or higher. 87% of the pilots hired at the majors in the last 10 years have a 4 year degree.

Not doubting you, but what's the source of those numbers?

BTW I say get the degree! It doesn't matter what it's in just get the degree; it shows you can accomplish something.