Online bachelor's degree programs in aviation

You've always wanted your career to take off--literally! Maybe you made model airplanes as a child, loved to go to the airport, and dreamt of being a Blue Angel, sending your jet twirling and dipping in unison across the sky. If you were lucky, maybe you had a family member who was a pilot, and you even explored or rode in the cockpit as a kid.

What to expect from an online bachelor's degree program in aviation

An undergraduate degree can help you land you in a cockpit, on the tarmac, or in the business office of an airline, flight school, aerospace company or government agency.

Students pursuing aviation technology or aviation management degrees take courses in topics, such as:

• Flight aerodynamics
• Meteorology and the environment
• Conflict resolution and negotiation techniques
• Aviation law and management
• Aircraft communications systems
• Navigation concepts and fundamentals
• Air traffic control systems and relationships
• Instruments and flight techniques
• Airport planning and management

If you have existing FAA certifications, dispatch experience, military pilot or maintenance service training, check with an admissions representative at your programs of interest: Such experience may allow you to apply academic credit to your degree, bringing you even closer to take-off.

Careers for graduates with online degrees in aviation technology

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, average job growth is expected for pilots, air traffic controllers, and aircraft maintenance technicians from 2008-2018. See below for BLS job descriptions and median salaries for aviation professions.

Airline pilots, co-pilots and flight engineers fly for major airlines, as corporate aviation crews and with cargo and freight companies. Regional and low-cost airline companies are expected to provide the greatest number of new jobs. May 2009 median salary for airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers: $106,240.

Air traffic controllers work for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), coordinating the movement of aircraft across busy skies. All new job applicants without FAA or the Department of Defense experience must complete bachelor's degrees in aviation technology. New controllers must be under 30 years of age when hired. May 2009 median salary air traffic controllers: $109,850.

Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and service technicians keep aircraft in peak performance and safe operating condition. Almost all learn their trade at schools certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The best new opportunities will be at FAA repair stations, with regional airlines, or in general aviation. May 2009 median salary for aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and service technicians: $52,810.

Whether you love spinning a wrench, mapping trajectories across skies, flying airplanes or managing people, there is an online bachelor's degree program in aviation that can help you write your ticket to success in the air. Learn more about majors in Aviation Science, Aerospace Engineering, and more at WorldWideLearn's Guide to Majors.
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• Online Bachelor Programs