Air Transportation at Rocky Mountain College

Rocky Mountain College's aviation program lands graduates at $41,588 in their first year—slightly below the national median but actually the top earner among Montana's limited aviation options. The $27,000 debt load is remarkably low, ranking in the 5th percentile nationally, which translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. That means graduates owe less than eight months of their first-year salary, a manageable burden compared to many aviation programs where debt can balloon from flight training costs.

The catch here is scale: with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, these numbers could shift significantly year to year. The first-year earnings also trail the national 75th percentile by about $5,000, suggesting this program may not connect graduates to the highest-paying aviation positions immediately. However, aviation careers typically see substantial salary growth as pilots accumulate flight hours and move from regional carriers to major airlines, so the modest starting point matters less than the debt load you're carrying while building those hours.

For families prioritizing affordability in pilot training—where costs can easily spiral—this represents solid value. The low debt gives graduates financial breathing room during the early career years when flight hours matter more than salary. Just recognize you're working with limited data points, and if your child is comparing offers from larger aviation programs, you'll want to look closely at their specific job placement rates with major carriers.