Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide

ERAU is an online and on-campus school. In fact, 90% of ERAU undergraduate students and 94% of its master’s students attend online, according to the National Center for Educations Statistics (NCES).

While its focus is on aviation and aeronautics, ERAU offers online degree programs in areas such as emergency services, communication, and engineering as well.

ERAU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctorate degrees, and certificates. 

Accreditation is important because it signifies an accrediting agency (which has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education) verified a school's quality matches national standards. Additionally, these agencies confer accreditation if they deem a school’s business and academic practices sound. These agencies must also ensure that a school can deliver on its promises to provide high quality education to students. For this reason, OnlineU only includes accredited institutions on its site.

ERAU was founded over 90 years ago and is known for its deep roots in U.S. aviation history. It was one of the first five aviation schools in the country in 1929 and eventually moved its hub to Miami in 1939. 

During WWII, the school became an instrumental training facility for thousands of Army Air Force and Royal Air Force cadets. It also became a seaplane base during the war with an all-female division. Today, ERAU is known for its proximity to NASA and for its nickname as the “Harvard of the Skies.”

Based on federal data from College Scorecard, ERAU’s online degrees in aeronautics and aviation maintenance provide the highest earnings for graduates at $77,000 and $73,000, respectively.

Another helpful measure for gauging a program's long-term financial benefits is to check OnlineU’s proprietary Salary Score. This score ranks colleges by how much their alumni earn compared to graduates with the same degree across the country. ERAU has an online bachelor’s degree salary score of 87 and an online master’s degree salary score of 66.

It is somewhat difficult to get into ERAU, as it only accepts 63% of applicants. While taking entrance exams isn’t required to enroll, ERAU strongly recommends that applicants submit SAT or ACT scores. 

Admission requirements for ERAU are similar to applying at any college or university. Specifically, ERAU requires that applicants submit the following information:

• A completed application 
• A $50 application fee
• Official high school transcripts or their equivalent
• College transcripts if transferring from another college or university
• Military transcripts, if available
• Entrance exam scores (not required but strongly encouraged)

Individual degree programs may have additional requirements, so meeting with an admissions advisor before applying may be beneficial.

Our list of the most popular online schools covers a wide breadth of options if you are still undecided about the school that's right for you.