Accredited Online Aviation Degrees

When most people think of aviation degrees, they picture a classroom of hopeful students learning the basics of flight in a brick-and-mortar school. However, it's highly possible (and actually quite common) to earn an aviation degree online since most of the required coursework for this program can be completed on a virtual basis. From there, students who want to work as pilots can move on to complete their hands-on flight training, and those who want to work in aviation management or other related fields can begin their search for job opportunities.

But, what degree is best for aviation? Generally speaking, a bachelor of aviation will help students move toward the future career they want in this dynamic and exciting field.

That said, it's crucial for students to choose a program from top aviation colleges that are fully accredited. This will ensure the online aviation degree is respected by hiring managers and the airlines themselves and that the school is held to the highest academic standards possible.

How long it takes to earn an online aviation degree depends on where the student is at in the process. New students who are at the beginning of their educational journey in aviation may be able to complete a bachelor's degree program in as little as 3.5 years. However, those who have experience as a pilot may be able to transfer credit and complete their program in as little as 2.5 years.

Some schools, including the School of Aeronautics at Liberty University, even offer high school dual enrollment to help aviation students finish their degree programs faster. This option lets students begin taking their courses online while they finish their high school diploma, after which they can progress straight into flight training after graduating from high school.

If you have spent much time researching aviation degrees, you have almost certainly learned about the high level of burnout in this field. Many people wonder why so many student pilots quit and why many students begin degrees in aviation only to switch to another field entirely before finishing their program.

Ultimately, earning a bachelor's degree in aviation is similar to earning a degree in any other field. The coursework and instruction may be more difficult for some students than others, and a certain percentage of participants will decide they want to do something different in their careers after they begin.

That said, some of the most common reasons student pilots quit include medical reasons and a lack of time and motivation. Other times, the financial aspect of funding an online aviation degree and further training becomes a problem.

Where online aviation degrees can be incredibly affordable on their own, students who want to become a pilot will need complete hands-on flight training as well.

Students looking into aviation degrees often stumble into degrees in aerospace, especially since some of the potential career paths overlap. For example, degrees in both aviation and aerospace can lead to careers in aerospace technology management or aviation management. However, these industries are not exactly one and the same. In fact, the Encyclopedia of Britannica offers notably different definitions for each industry:

According to the National Aviation Academy, there are three main sectors of aviation worth mentioning. These sectors directly correlate with the industries one can enter after completing online aviation degrees.

At this point, you're probably also wondering about the difference between the airline industry and the aviation industry, as well as the businesses that operate within each. Generally speaking, the airline industry is exactly what you would expect. This industry includes the major airlines and all the services they offer, including commercial flights and cargo transportation. In contrast, the aviation industry includes all businesses that operate aircraft. As a result, the airline industry is actually part of the broader aviation industry, which is what students study in this degree program.

Before you dive into the world of college entrance exams and learn how to get student loans to pay for school, you should have a basic understanding of where this degree program leads.

Here are a few potential careers one can pursue with a bachelor of aviation, but it's important to note that a bachelor's degree is not required for these professions:

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