Types

• Although piloting is often thought of as a single profession, different classes of companies often have distinct educational requirements for their pilots. For instance, major air carriers, large cargo operators, and high-end corporate flight departments require their pilots to possess at least a two-year (and often a four-year) college degree, while regional airlines and smaller cargo companies often only require that pilots have a high-school diploma or GED. Additionally, some regional airlines prefer, but don't require, that applicants have a four-year degree.
  
  

Misconceptions

• One prevalent misconception is that major airlines require their pilots to hold a degree in aviation or a related field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, major airlines do not require pilots to have a degree in an aviation-related field. Any bachelor's degree will fulfill major airlines' four-year degree requirement. Airlines, as well as other aviation companies, seek to hire well-rounded pilots with efficient interpersonal, communicative, technical, philosophical, and problem-solving skills and abilities.
  
  

Focus

• Although a dedicated aviation degree is not required to become a professional pilot, prospective aviators should take certain college courses to prepare them for their future careers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an individual looking to begin a career as a pilot should take college-level English, mathematics, physical science, and engineering courses. These courses prepare students for the communicative, reasoning, and technical skills necessary to operate an aircraft in a highly regulated and crew-oriented environment.
  
  

Required Training

• In addition to broad-based academic education, the Federal Aviation Administration requires that prospective pilots undergo pilot ground schooling, which is a type of training designed to prepare students for situations in the cockpit. This training teaches students aviation-related knowledge such as weather theory, air traffic control procedures, federal aviation regulations, flight theory, emergency procedures and instrument flight procedures. A pilot must take a ground school course in conjunction with each flight rating he earns.
  
  

Considerations

• A prospective pilot should consider her career goals before deciding whether to seek a college education or begin work after high school. For instance, if a person wants to become a major airline pilot or high-end corporate pilot, then she should absolutely pursue a four-year college degree. On the other hand, if she has aspirations of becoming an agricultural pilot, regional airline pilot, or cargo pilot, a degree may not be necessary for her to realize her career goals.