Air Transportation at Ohio University-Eastern Campus

In Ohio, aviation programs range widely in outcomes, but the $25,000 debt burden here sits right at the state median—a manageable starting point for a field where experience builds quickly. Similar aviation programs in Ohio suggest first-year earnings around $40,000, which translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62. That's reasonable territory: your child could theoretically allocate half their pre-tax income to loan payments and clear the debt in about 15 months, though real budgets are never that simple.

The stronger signal comes from the four-year mark, where this program reports actual earnings of $73,463—a substantial jump that aligns with how aviation careers typically progress as pilots accumulate flight hours and certifications. That trajectory matters more than the initial number in a field where credentials and logged hours drive advancement. The debt load becomes increasingly manageable as earnings nearly double within a few years.

Here's what matters: aviation programs are expensive to run and graduates are expensive to train, yet this one keeps debt below the national median while producing mid-career earnings that justify the investment. The limited data means we're working partly from peer comparisons, but the four-year earnings figure is actual reported data for this campus. If your child is committed to aviation—not just interested, but committed enough to chase ratings and hours—the math works better than it does for many bachelor's programs.