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Aviation Management & Operations

Types of Degrees Aviation Management & Operations Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Aviation Management & Operations can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	26
Associate’s Degree	195
Bachelor’s Degree	1,062
Master’s Degree	497
Doctor’s Degree	4

What Aviation Management & Operations Majors Need to Know

Programs in Aviation Management & Operations build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Aviation Management & Operations graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Aviation Management & Operations emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Transportation — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Personnel and Human Resources — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Aviation Management & Operations program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Coordination — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Aviation Management & Operations careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Aviation Management & Operations graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Developing and Building Teams	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.0 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Aviation Management & Operations professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Dynamics AX	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
NetSuite ERP	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Oracle E-Business Suite Financials	Financial analysis software	—
Microsoft SQL Server	Data base user interface and query software	—
Inventory management systems	Inventory management software	✓
Microsoft Dynamics	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Visio	Process mapping and design software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Warehouse management system WMS	Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Aviation Management & Operations graduates include:

• Logistics Supervisor
• Supply Chain Logistics Manager
• Parts Manager
• Supply Chain Design Manager
• Material Requirements Planning Manager
• Solution Design and Analysis Manager
• Demand Planning Manager
• Supply Chain Director
• Supply Chain Operations Manager
• Inventory Supervisor
• Supply Chain Strategy Manager
• Inventory Control Supervisor
• Manufacturing Supply Chain Manager
• Supply Chain Systems Manager
• Global Supply Chain Director

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Aviation Management & Operations graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	66.7%
Master’s degree	19.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	9.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Aviation Management & Operations?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 80% of Aviation Management & Operations degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	357	20.0%
Men	1,429	80.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Aviation Management & Operations graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	918	51.4%
Asian	94	5.3%
Hispanic or Latino	313	17.5%
Black or African American	195	10.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	9	0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	3	0.2%
Two or More Races	73	4.1%
Race Unknown	54	3.0%
International Students	127	7.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Aviation Management & Operations Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Aviation Management & Operations graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$54,735
4 years	$69,369
5 years	$80,156

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $80,156 — roughly 46% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Aviation Management & Operations Programs

Online study are documented by IPEDS for Aviation Management & Operations. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	3	2
Bachelor’s	14	8
Master’s	9	1
Doctoral (Research)	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Aviation Management & Operations Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Aviation Management & Operations graduates earn a median of $69,369 four years after completion — roughly 83% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Air Transportation	11,070
Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General	6,327
Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and Flight Crew	2,249
Air Transportation, Other	315
Air Traffic Controller	189
Remote Aircraft Pilot	127
Airline Flight Attendant	47
Flight Instructor	30

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.