Air Transportation at Texas Southern University

Aviation careers typically demand substantial training hours beyond classroom work, making the debt load crucial. With estimated debt around $23,500—notably lower than both state and national benchmarks—this program appears positioned to let graduates enter the industry without crushing financial pressure. That's particularly important at a school where 71% of students receive Pell grants.

The earnings pattern here raises questions, though. Similar programs in Texas suggest first-year earnings around $56,500, which would put Texas Southern graduates well above the national median for aviation bachelor's degrees. But the reported four-year earnings of $41,900 show a significant drop rather than the steady climb you'd expect as pilots build hours and move into better positions. This could reflect graduates switching career paths, facing delays in ratings progression, or working part-time while completing additional certifications—all common in aviation but worth understanding before committing.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 based on those initial estimates looks manageable, roughly half a year's salary. But if the four-year earnings better represent the typical trajectory, that calculation becomes less reassuring. Given how much we're inferring from peer programs rather than Texas Southern's actual outcomes, you'll want to dig into where this school's specific graduates are landing—which airlines, what types of operations, and how quickly they're advancing through ratings.