Ranking of the best colleges/universities with aviation programs?

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ktsai91

Well-Known Member
Just curious, but is there a ranking system out there that ranks the best colleges and universities with aviation programs? Kind of like how the nation's best colleges and universities are ranked, and how there are rankings for the colleges and universities with specific types of programs like business and engineering programs?

If not, what do you think would be the top 10 colleges or universities ranked for their aviation programs?
 
Probably not accurate, but this is my top 5

5. Depends on the instructor
4. Depends on the instructor
3. Depends on the instructor
2. Depends on the instructor
1. Depends on the instructor


In the end, you will graduate with the degree and the ratings, so you should choose based on: location (UND probably isn't much fun in the winter, Riddle is probably really hot in the summer), financial cost, and last but not least, IT'S COLLEGE! SIU's aviation program was....well, I got my ratings but had a blast on campus/ parties/ chicks/ you know the college thing.
 
Yeah, here's the thing. I really enjoyed UND Aerospace, but I know great people from Purdue, Middle Tennessee, Western Michigan, Hillsboro, and Embry Riddle. I also know bad people from Kansas State, Embry Riddle, and well, I just had some bad experiences. Now, does any of that make any school better or worse? Not really, as the biggest thing is what your self drive and value of the experience can give you. My debt from UND has really held back my personal life, even after deploying. Aviation is not a high paying career at the moment and getting that experience for less is really hard. Right now I can't recommend flight school unless you're on the GI Bill or paying for it out of pocket. If you're a certain type of pilot or looking for certain experience then there are pros and cons.

IE:
UND Aerospace, it's cold, but lots of thunderstorms in the summer, great campus, newer aircraft and lots of little airports to practice at with high winds. It'll help you learn uncontrolled airspace flight, very busy towers, various weather, and how to deal with the cold and high crosswinds. However, it's expensive, takes 4.5-5 years reasonably, No-fly November, No-fly March, no mountainous terrain, and a weak career center.
Hillsboro, mountainous, lots of clouds, challenging approaches, small instructor staff, nice aircraft, reasonable cost. The bad, getting a degree can be hit or miss but they have made it a lot better, mountains limit flight paths, and area can be harsh if you're not used to it.

I could go on for all of them. Every school creates awesome and crappy pilots. Some schools may be better at making you an awesome pilot but it really depends on what you're looking for. If you can expand on that then we might be able to help.

-ProudPilot
 
ktsai91 said:
Just curious, but is there a ranking system out there that ranks the best colleges and universities with aviation programs? Kind of like how the nation's best colleges and universities are ranked, and how there are rankings for the colleges and universities with specific types of programs like business and engineering programs?

If not, what do you think would be the top 10 colleges or universities ranked for their aviation programs?
Click to expand...

Well, the "Top XXX University" lists are usually the result of a formula, and the schools are generally pretty good at gaming the formulas. The quality of education is not generally a big part of these formulas. That said, there isn't really much difference that I have seen between any of the schools in these rankings. Most of the time, there is a 10 way tie for 10th, a 10 way tie for 20th, they are generally pointless in my opinion.

If I had to make a list, I would say the flying clubs at any of these schools would be the best choices:

1) Any non-aviation University with a flying club (MIT, Columbia, University of Maine, Derg's Beauty and Hairdressing Academy/Taco Stand)
2) US Air Force Academy
3) US Naval Academy
4) US Military Academy
5) US Coast Guard Academy
 
You know how those lists are made? Someone puts a sheet of paper on a wall with all the school names, then they pick 10 people and give them each a dart. You can figure out the rest from there.

In a past life I worked at two large media publishing companies and both basically did it this way. There is Zero scientific formula that goes into it. Basically a bunch of recent college grads (believe it or not these are usually the people doing all the work at news organizations) all make a list and then they choose as a group who they think is the "top". Then they come up with reasons why they choose those schools to be the best.

It's fracken stupid.......
 
av8tr1 said:
In a past life I worked at two large media publishing companies and both basically did it this way. There is Zero scientific formula that goes into it. Basically a bunch of recent college grads (believe it or not these are usually the people doing all the work at news organizations) all make a list and then they choose as a group who they think is the "top". Then they come up with reasons why they choose those schools to be the best.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the formula to me!
 
The best Aviation University is the one you are attending or plan to attend. It should by AABI, Aviation Accreditation Board International, approved and accredited. You should worry more about your own performance than that of the University.

Get the most out of your education. The cost is high and you will only get out what you put in. Airlines hire flight officer pilots not colleges. They hire you, not where you went to school. That applies to any type of career.
 
The aviation field is a competitive industry with substantial and diverse opportunities. It is expected to experience average job growth over the next several years.
 
Zapphod Beblebrox said:
The best Aviation University is the one you are attending or plan to attend. It should by AABI, Aviation Accreditation Board International, approved and accredited. You should worry more about your own performance than that of the University.

Get the most out of your education. The cost is high and you will only get out what you put in. Airlines hire flight officer pilots not colleges. They hire you, not where you went to school. That applies to any type of career.
Click to expand...


If you are going to go to an Aviation program, make sure the program is on this list;

https://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/atp/media/Institutional_Authority_List.pdf


If you are going to pay the money on that degree, the least you can do is get 500 hours of credit.
 
Make a list of what you want out of your education and go from there. There's no "best", just what will work for you.
 
Ranking of the best college depending on which degree you want to earn. Second thing is which certification they provides also how many flight hours they include in training.
 
Find an aviation program with a university that is in state. If you don't live in North Dakota there is no real reason to go to UND. If you don't live in Indiana then there isn't a reason to go to Purdue. At least not based on the aviation program alone.

I went to a smaller school in southern Oklahoma. Guess what, take a flying savage from my school, a UND, Purdue and Riddle grad and compare them...they can all do the exact same Chandelle.
 
I'd go with the cheapest. 4 years and a string of ratings is 250-300k at ERAU. If you can afford that, you're better off investing it now and working at Lowes. Plenty of chicks in the garden center.
 
Do you know why 100LL is same no matter where you purchase it? Because it meets a standard. The same with degrees and ratings, all the colleges on that list are essentially the same except cost and location. They all offer the same standard of B.S. degrees and commercial single/ multi, with flight instructor ratings.

Go where it is most affordable to you, somewhere that has year round weather.
 
Hey ktsai91,
Great listing !
Well, according to me, the universities which are providing good job opportunities from the campus itself must be the helpful formula for your list.
 
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