General Air Transportation

Types of Degrees General Air Transportation Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many general aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	2,870
Associate’s Degree	568
Basic Certificate	47
Undergraduate Certificate	32

What General Air Transportation Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to general aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for General Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science & Technology Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in general aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Skills for General Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science & Technology Majors

general aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

Abilities for General Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science & Technology Majors

As you progress with your general aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in General Air Transportation?

This major attracts more men than women. About 90% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of general aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	8
Black or African American	49
Hispanic or Latino	79
White	342
International Students	25
Other Races/Ethnicities	65

Geographic Diversity

General Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science & Technology appeals to people across the globe. About 4.4% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do General Air Transportation Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

General Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology majors often go into careers with median salaries of $102,850. This median refers to all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to General Air Transportation

Some degrees associated with general aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to general aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	1.7%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	28.9%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	1.7%
Some College Courses	4.0%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	17.7%
Bachelor’s Degree	44.7%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	1.7%

Online General Air Transportation Programs

In the 2018-2019 academic year, 91 schools offered some type of general aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	14	1
Certificate (1-2 years)	6	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	19	2
Bachelor’s Degree	1	0
Post-Baccalaureate	14	1
Master’s Degree	9	6
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	3	1
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in General Air Transportation Worth It?

The median salary for a general aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology grad is $102,850 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 158% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,259,000 after 20 years!

Trades Related to General Air Transportation

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to general aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology.

Major	Number of Grads
Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew	2,009
Aviation/Airway Management & Operations	1,306
Air Traffic Controller	373
Other Air Transportation	343
Airline Flight Attendant	71
Flight Instructor	51

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.