Air Transportation at University of Nebraska at Omaha

UNO's aviation program transforms dramatically after graduation, though parents should understand they're paying a premium relative to starting salaries. That $21,000 in debt sits well above the national average for aviation programs, while first-year earnings of $42,837 land squarely at the national median. The kicker: earnings nearly double to $77,266 by year four—an 80% jump that reflects how pilots and aviation professionals accumulate certifications and flight hours.

Within Nebraska, this program ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings despite being essentially tied with the state median (there are only two aviation programs in the state). The real story is trajectory rather than starting point. Aviation careers typically require significant additional training and certification beyond the bachelor's degree, which explains both the modest initial earnings and the explosive growth curve. Your child will likely need to budget for flight hours and ratings that aren't fully captured in that $21,000 debt figure.

The value proposition here depends entirely on your child's commitment to logging flight hours and advancing through ratings post-graduation. The earnings growth suggests graduates who stick with aviation careers do well, but that first year or two may feel financially tight given the debt load. This is a path for students genuinely committed to aviation—not those "interested in planes" but unwilling to grind through the early-career certification phase.