Air Transportation: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 4 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$41,061 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$41,061Median year-4 earnings
$29,472Average institution net-price context
$6,333Median federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$41,061Median reported earnings · year 4
$26,538Average reported earnings · year 5
$6,333Median federal debt
30thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
4Reporting programs
3With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
CURRENT VIEW
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $41,061
- Federal debt
- $6,333
- Reporting programs
- 4
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $75,637
- Federal debt
- $14,803
- Reporting programs
- 18
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $83,283
- Federal debt
- $24,500
- Reporting programs
- 59
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $113,161
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 7
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$33,509National median$41,06175th percentile$41,061
3 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Guilford Technical Community College$41,0612Aviator College of Aeronautical Science and TechnologyNot availableObserved year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersSOC 53-2011 · 2 crosswalk linksCommercial PilotsSOC 53-2012 · 2 crosswalk linksTransportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersSOC 11-3071 · 2 crosswalk linksAir Traffic ControllersSOC 53-2021 · 1 crosswalk linksAirfield Operations SpecialistsSOC 53-2022 · 1 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Passenger AttendantsSOC 53-1044 · 1 crosswalk linksFlight AttendantsSOC 53-2031 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guilford Technical Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Jamestown, NC | $41,061 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,002 |
| 2 | Aviator College of Aeronautical Science and TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Fort Pierce, FL | Not available | $16,000 | Baseline needed | $43,941 |
| 3 | L3Harris Flight AcademyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | , | $98,631 | $5,939 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 4 | International Air and Hospitality AcademyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | , | $33,509 | $6,333 | Baseline needed | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.