Do You Need a Degree to Be a Pilot? A Learner's Guide

Piloting a plane isn’t your typical 9-5 gig. No, as a pilot, you’re up tens of thousands of feet above sea level in the sky, potentially tasked with transporting hundreds of passengers from their point of origin to their destination. And as you may imagine, the training and education you need to become a pilot differ significantly from many other professions. In this post, we’ll take a look at the typical training and education requirements necessary to become a pilot and what kind of grades you’ll need to carry based on the type of pilot you want to be.

Becoming a pilot  isn’t easy and requires a bevy of education, hands-on training, and logged flight hours. There are two main routes that many prospective pilots take to acquire this training: flight school or the military. Typically, earning a Bachelor’s Degree precedes either route. Usually, pilots pursue a degree in math or science.

It takes about two years from this point to become a commercial airline pilot, and it starts with earning a private pilot certificate. A commercial pilot license is typically earned after a single-engine plane and logging an additional 250 hours of flight time. At this point, pilots can pursue more advanced certificates, such as the Airline Transport Pilot Certificate, which enables you to fly a commercial plane.

Grade point average, or GPA, really depends on the career path you want to take. For instance, if you want to join the Air Force or become a commercial pilot, your GPA will be scrutinized much more closely during the decision-making process when it comes to hiring. If your GPA is anywhere from a 3.0 to a 4.0 and you have considerable other qualifications and experience, you’ll likely be viewed favorably. If you want to pilot for a hobby, your GPA is not quite as important.

For more information on the education, training, qualifications, and GPA that you’ll need to become a pilot, reach out to us today!