College degree?

Pilot86

Pilot86

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone..new to the forums and glad to be here. I was wondering if you could help me.

I currently have a assoc. degree in business and pursuing a bachelors degree in business. I am a private pilot with 200 hours.

I'm wanting to make a career with regional airlines and wondering if an associates would be ok withouth having to get the bachelors to work for a regional airlines not wanting to fly majors.

Can a regional pilot make a good income once he makes captain?
 
Finish your bachelors, get a job with it. Use the money from your job for flight training.

Welcome to JC!
 
Pilot86 said:
Hi everyone..new to the forums and glad to be here. I was wondering if you could help me.

I currently have a assoc. degree in business and pursuing a bachelors degree in business. I am a private pilot with 200 hours.

I'm wanting to make a career with regional airlines and wondering if an associates would be ok withouth having to get the bachelors to work for a regional airlines not wanting to fly majors.

Can a regional pilot make a good income once he makes captain?
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Most regionals don't require a degree at all and yes you can definitely make a solid income as a captain at a regional.

http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/regional.html
 
Here is the question: What are the long term benefits of NOT finishing the degree?
 
Definitely get your degree, some regional’s today are starting to require a bachelors degree (i.e. Compass).
 
Absolutely finish the degree. You never know how your career goals may change in the future. Maybe one day you do want to apply to the majors after all. Also, just because most regionals don't require a degree doesn't mean they don't prefer it. You want to be competitive, not just meet the minimum requirements.
 
I'm a Check Airman for a major and I dont even have a degree. Degrees are very over rated, everyone has one so dont sweat it. An A.S. is just as good to get you in. Now is the time to concentrate on getting flt. hours to get the interview. One thing I do recommend is widen your aviation background i.e. Civil Air Patrol, Aviation Safety Counselor, etc....

Good luck to you and all who persue dreams.
 
AMTK462 said:
I'm a Check Airman for a major and I dont even have a degree. Degrees are very over rated, everyone has one so dont sweat it. An A.S. is just as good to get you in. Now is the time to concentrate on getting flt. hours to get the interview. One thing I do recommend is widen your aviation background i.e. Civil Air Patrol, Aviation Safety Counselor, etc....

Good luck to you and all who persue dreams.
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If you ever decide you want to get into corporate (some require four year), or maybe Delta(requires four year to complete application) or be competitive for places even like Southwest it would be better to have the four year degree. It may not be required, but it can be the determining factor to keep you in the game. Plus this business is volatile, you may be screaming along happy as a loon, and then have the rug pulled out from under you. It's better to have all the weapons in your satchel that you can.

In 2003 I did not have any hours or credits...Dough said get the degree...now I have one...(and a few hours too).

You're close just finish it.
 
Pilot86 said:
I'm wanting to make a career with regional airlines and wondering if an associates would be ok withouth having to get the bachelors to work for a regional airlines not wanting to fly majors.

Can a regional pilot make a good income once he makes captain?
Click to expand...
Unless you're over 45 or so, why are you setting your sights on a career at the regional level? Regional captains make a livable wage, but it tops out at around $115k/yr at most carriers--certainly not a "good" income (relative to other professions requiring similar degrees of training/licensure), especially considering that retirement benefits suck (read: nonexistent) at ALL of them.
 
Ok... regionals is something I'm just interested in I suppose. Thanks though, I just would like to stop at the AA as Im getting tired of trying to finish this bachelors degree.
I am absolutely horrible at math and it doesn't do me any good trying to get through this calculus and other stuff that I can't even understand.
 
Pilot86 said:
Ok... regionals is something I'm just interested in I suppose. Thanks though, I just would like to stop at the AA as Im getting tired of trying to finish this bachelors degree.
I am absolutely horrible at math and it doesn't do me any good trying to get through this calculus and other stuff that I can't even understand.
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change your major to one in which you only need algebra, I only needed algebra and received a 4 year degree.
 
Bumblebee said:
change your major to one in which you only need algebra, I only needed algebra and received a 4 year degree.
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:yeahthat:

If your goal is only the regionals, I honestly don't think the degree is gonna be all that (unless you want to go to Compass, but it looks like their star is on the decline anyway). Pinnacle, Mesa, and Trans States will probably never require a degree. Skywest, ASA, Eagle and XJT MAY at some point, but I bet once age 65 starts kicking in, it'll go away.

Now, a degree will definitely make you more competitive in the marketplace, and there's never anything wrong with that. If you're getting burned out, either just take some time off to re-charge, or do as Dale suggested and change your major. It doesn't matter what the degree is in, so major in something you enjoy. If business is your thing, go for it. Don't do it just because someone said it's a good fall back. Majoring in something you hate is a good way to get burned out and never finish.

Now as far as a "good income," that depends on where you live and what your lifestyle is. I've been a CA for about 2 and a half years. I did manage to get all my credit cards paid off, and I'm not behind on my student loan payments anymore. That being said, I can't afford to move back to Orlando because the uptick in the mortgage would put me right back to where I was as an FO in the disposable income department.
 
Finish the 4-year Bachelor degree. It will help when you least expect it. If you don't like the math, change to something in the education department. And with an education degree, that may help you in aviation as well. Especially since you most likely will have to become a flight instructor as very few have any choice not to be one. Of course there are all many other majors to pick from as well.

Plus, like anyone with extensive life and work experience can tell you on here, your priorities will change. Someday you may decide to go corporate pilot or major airline. Most of them prefer a bachelor degree or higher, unless you get walked in through networking.

I can also guarantee that finishing the degree in the future will be harder. Keep at it. Finish it now. Don't limit yourself to a life in Regionals since one day money, family, and life may dictate a change to a major or corporate. And that's not the time to start your degree over again.

No matter what. Best of success to you! And welcome.
 
AMTK462 said:
I'm a Check Airman for a major and I dont even have a degree. Degrees are very over rated, everyone has one so dont sweat it. An A.S. is just as good to get you in. Now is the time to concentrate on getting flt. hours to get the interview. One thing I do recommend is widen your aviation background i.e. Civil Air Patrol, Aviation Safety Counselor, etc....

Good luck to you and all who persue dreams.
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Bad advice, and very inaccurate.
 
AMTK462 said:
I'm a Check Airman for a major and I dont even have a degree. Degrees are very over rated, everyone has one so dont sweat it. An A.S. is just as good to get you in. Now is the time to concentrate on getting flt. hours to get the interview. One thing I do recommend is widen your aviation background i.e. Civil Air Patrol, Aviation Safety Counselor, etc....

Good luck to you and all who persue dreams.
Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly disagree with this statement. One can never have too much education. But the type of degree matters to some extent too. When... IF.. you get furloughed, it is much better to be marketable.. and a college education gives you that marketability. Except that.. well.. the world needs ditch diggers too Danny. $6/hr is an honorable wage... I guess. But ask some of the guys that have been furloughed in years past how they fared in the job market. Ask them how they fared with a degree in Aviation Management. Then talk to some of the guys that had business degrees that became stock brokers or ran businesses. Some never came back.....
 
My grandfather has always said that a million dollars, pilots license, etc can always be stolen or lost, but an education is something no one can ever take from you!!
 
flyman128 said:
My grandfather has always said that a million dollars, pilots license, etc can always be stolen or lost, but an education is something no one can ever take from you!!
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Actually, the school you went to can lose it's accreditation and your piece of paper becomes worthless. But other than that, I'd say you are correct.
 
BobDDuck said:
Actually, the school you went to can lose it's accreditation and your piece of paper becomes worthless. But other than that, I'd say you are correct.
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He sad an "education", not a "college diploma". Two totally seperate things.

I've met many college graduates who have a worthless pice of paper hanging on their wall. They aren't qualified to flip burgers at McDonalds. I've also met high school dropouts who have a marvolus education stored in their brains.
 
Yea..I mean you can't go wrong with a degree its there for life. I think the biggest problem is the economy..jobless.
Im just getting tired of trying to finish this degree and wondering of the options.
I gave Airnet a call after seeing their requirements, no minimum flight time right?....they want a minimum of 1200 hours now...ggreeaattt. haha. Private pilot with 200 hours..thought I would have a lead to break into the market once i got my Instrument and Commercial but I guess not yet.
 
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