Air Transportation at Quincy University

Based on comparable aviation programs nationally, Quincy's air transportation degree appears to align with typical outcomes for this field—estimated first-year earnings around $43,000 against roughly $25,000 in debt. That 0.58 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment, though it's worth noting that aviation careers often require additional certifications and flight hours beyond graduation, which can mean delayed earning potential and extra costs not captured in these figures.

The estimated debt here runs slightly higher than Illinois peer programs (which average about $23,000), while earnings track close to what Southern Illinois University-Carbondale graduates report. Aviation programs tend to produce relatively consistent outcomes because the industry has clear certification requirements and structured career paths, but this particular program's small graduate cohort—the reason for these estimates—might signal limited resources or program size that could affect training opportunities.

For parents weighing this investment, the fundamentals look reasonable if your child is committed to aviation, but verify what the $25,000 covers. Flight training costs can easily double total expenses, and smaller programs sometimes struggle to provide the aircraft access and instructor availability students need to build required hours efficiently. Before committing, get specific answers about fleet size, instructor-to-student ratios, and typical time-to-licensure.