Air Transportation
Transportation & Materials Moving
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate's Degree | $71,917 | $55,708 to $83,343 | 18 | 100% |
| Bachelor's Degree | $80,702 | $72,520 to $90,642 | 60 | 100% |
| Master's Degree | $113,161 | $79,222 to $113,161 | 9 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +5% (2024 to 2034), about 60,400 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight Attendants | $67,130 | +9.2% | 19,800 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $102,010 | +6.1% | 18,500 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $226,600 | +3.9% | 11,700 |
| Commercial Pilots | $122,670 | +5.1% | 6,600 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | $144,580 | +1.2% | 2,200 |
| Airfield Operations Specialists | $56,750 | +4.2% | 1,600 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.