Thanks for the info everyone. I'd like some more info on being a pilot in the military or any input from college grads who pursued a career in aviation and whether they think it was worth it or not.
ERAU undergrad ('99-'03).
When I went to ERAU in '99 it was $3,000 a year less than my state school (UMass). Umass wasn't going to give me $20,000 after 4 years like ERAU did. My flight training would be between $5 - $7 less an hour if I had stayed up in Mass, that's the only thing that was cheaper. ERAU was the right choice for me for that time and situation.
At the time, when I went to Florida for college, it was hilariously cheap to live there (compared to Mass), my out of state tuition at ERAU was cheaper than in state UMass. Flying was $60 an hour wet and the instructor cost another $18-22 an hour I can't remember which. We all bitched in unison when the flying cost went up to $64 the next year. I was mostly done with the Commerical ticket when 9/11 struck. I got dinged a little on the multi flying because insurance rates went up through the roof, but that was everyone who rented airplanes on the planet, and I did not get my CFI there, I got it off campus years later.
When I got out in '03 you could go buy yourself a job in a 1900, which is something many people did including people on this forum, or you could get a job at Macy's (Best Buy was full up) until you found an instructing job. Those were your career paths after tens of thousands of dollars spent and in debt (although, I was no where near as screwed as guys going through now). Now you can be $100,000-$120,000 in debt for no job except whatever CFI gig you can land. If you do get a regional airline gig, you can expect to make about $24,000. More if you work real hard and are lucky. That is the stark reality of going to a aviation university only to fly airplanes.
The secret? (yes there is hope) Go get a 4 year degree in something that makes you some money (traveling nurse for $75k a year or something like that for Gods sake, not basket weaving), so when you can graduate you can have a real job paying down your college debt while you get yourself built up on hours while teaching. You could also go the military route if you qualify.
What I did is NOT normal, so don't go thinking this is gonna be your path. I graduated and laughed at my options for flying airplanes, because it made no economic sense (unless mommy and daddy were wealthy), so I dispatched airplanes (have my license and everything) at JFK and EWR for a bunch of the international carriers, worked ramp on the side, and CFI'ed on the side. My health was suffering from working (sometimes) 36 hours on an 12 hours off between two jobs, and with no health insurance I was forced to re-evaluate. I was very lucky to get a job as an EMI tech (family connections) and went on the road working 14-16 hour days seven days a week during trips, and at home I worked my 5 days a week with some overtime and CFI'ed when there was daylight left (and weekends). However, I lived at home and on the road everything was paid for. I bought nearly enough guns for a single male AND I paid back most of my school loans. That set me free to pursue the aviation crap. When I was a captain (what I refer to as the good old days) I paid back all the school loans leftover and bought a house on the cheap.
My life is good but the career is stagnate right now. I have a side business that keeps me from thinking about flying airplanes too much and the beach (still warm down south) and football this time of year. Oh the wife likes to shoot guns too so that's been great.
