Is Embry Riddle Worth It?

So I have posted several times on here about colleges and other things of the such. I really like Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, but as many of you know, it is not the cheapest college around by any means. Right now I am looking into professional flight (Pilot) with another degree in possibly engineering or business (The second degree I am not sure on, but I know I want something to fall back on incase the airlines take a turn for the worst.) Back to the point though, I was wondering if ERAU was really worth all of the expenses that come with it. Will going to ERAU increase my chances of getting hired on by an airline? Would ERAU look better than other well known colleges with aviation programs such as University of North Dakota or Purdue? Any advice or ideas will be greatly appreciated! :)

Short answer is no. In fact, in some areas of aviation, learning to fly at Riddle will hurt your chances of getting hired. When I worked in Alaska, my chief pilot would round file resumes that had Riddle on it. Similar with the companynI just left. Regionals may be more impressed.

I would suggest you get your flight training outside of the college/university envirornment and get a degree in something else from some other reputable school. This is coming from someone with a masters from Riddle.

Why not get a degree in something that will allow you to have a job should you ever lose your medical certification and then get your flight training on the side? The advice that Anymouse offers is well advised.

I would highly recommend Purdue for their aerospace engineering program and can say with a good deal of certainty that West Lafayette is a hell of a lot better than North Dakota especially during the long months of winter.

There are other universities that offer 4 yr degrees with a minor in business or engineering. Southern Illinois University, Texas State Technical College etc. My son just graduated from TSTC & A&M Central Texas with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation, minor in business. He has also taken courses in Airport Mgmt, Air Traffic controller, offered by TSTC which provides good all round aviation training. Taking additional courses e.g. business courses is a smart move and likewise my son wanted to have some other strings to the bow should the airline industry hit an even worse slump.

If you plan on working for any of the major commercial airlines you will need a 4yr degree to even be considered - direct quote from American Airlines Pilot Recruiter. If you love flying and have an aptitude for it then definitely pursue a degreed program.

Yes esperience and logged flight hours are essential for any airline professional, but the major carriers have different requirements than a smaller local airline flying specific daily routes to remote locations with specific weather conditions.
Good luck! :thumbsup:

I am a current member of Embry-Riddle. For me it is well worth it but I am not going to school with the ultimate goal of being an airline pilot. As an active duty military member in aviation, Embry has a campus on my base and it is extremely convenient to go to school there.

The degree I am pursuing is professional aeronautics with a minor in technical management, which will assure that I will always have a job in a field that I love or a job somewhere. Lets face it. The FAA is tough and with never knowing what tomorrow brings, things like loosing your medical could have you unemployed and on the street in no time at all if you put all your eggs in the pilot basket.

I think Embry Riddle is a great school but I would seriously consider getting your degree in an aviation related field that the FAA cant take away from you at some point.

I am currently working on my degree with embry and the intent of moving on to their Masters program. Also studying to get my A&P outside of the school environment and starting on my sport pilot license in FEB. all while performing my everyday job as a helicopter rescue crewman and aviation machinist .

Even without being an airline pilot im so involved in aviation that I am pooping feathers and I would recomend a path similar to anyone just so you can move around within the community should you need to for health reasons,job availability, and or location.

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Originally Posted by Anymouse

Short answer is no.

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I have to strongly disagree and say the short answer is a resounding yes! So, obviously the correct answer is sometimes and maybe. I was in a meeting with chief pilots from 2 regional carriers last week. Both strongly praised the quality of new hires they get from the top 4-year aviation colleges. They will hire those students when they just barely meet their minimums. Others who apply from less structured programs don't adapt so quickly and they don't get hired until they have significantly more time and experience. (I'm not a riddle grad, but did graduate from another top aviation school.) Riddle students spend 4-years surrounded by students and instructors that comprise a vibrant aviation community. They eat, drink, and breath aviation 24 hours a day. Walk through a dorm and your surrounded by aviation. You can't get that depth of aviation experience at any school that doesn't specialize in aviation education.

I don't work in the airline industry, nor am I a graduate of ERAU. My 2 cents worth is that any degree from an accredited institution is better than none. Yes there are degree snobs in industry who are impressed with the prestige degrees. But, when I screen applicants for positions, I am always impressed by the applicant with a family who completed night school while holding down a full time job. Shows the ability to manage time and focus on long term goals...Get a degree in something that interests you. If the airline job never materializes, you will be prepared for a career...Pete

I need college list for avitation technician. because i planned going to join aircraft plant technician.i am also searched college list. so if you know any best aviation maintenance training institue please inform here.
thanks & regards

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Originally Posted by jackkhan011

I need college list for avitation technician. because i planned going to join aircraft plant technician.i am also searched college list. so if you know any best aviation maintenance training institue please inform here.
thanks & regards

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Pima Community College in Tucson is one of the best aviation maintenance programs in the country. Students all have jobs before they graduate.

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Originally Posted by jackkhan011

I need college list for avitation technician. because i planned going to join aircraft plant technician.i am also searched college list. so if you know any best aviation maintenance training institue please inform here.
thanks & regards

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The FAA maintains a list of Part 147 maintenance technician schools here: http://av-info.faa.gov/MaintenanceSchool.asp
You'll have to do a little research to find out which ones are affiliated with a college or university. The "best" one will be the one the fits your needs.

Graduates of any A&P school today have a job or job offers. Demand will likely outpace supply for some time to come.

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Originally Posted by Ryan Hornback

So I have posted several times on here about colleges and other things of the such. I really like Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, but as many of you know, it is not the cheapest college around by any means. Right now I am looking into professional flight (Pilot) with another degree in possibly engineering or business (The second degree I am not sure on, but I know I want something to fall back on incase the airlines take a turn for the worst.) Back to the point though, I was wondering if ERAU was really worth all of the expenses that come with it. Will going to ERAU increase my chances of getting hired on by an airline? Would ERAU look better than other well known colleges with aviation programs such as University of North Dakota or Purdue? Any advice or ideas will be greatly appreciated! :)

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Could you give an update on your present position and how things are working out. I would have recommended Univ of North Dakota over Emery Riddle. ER has good acadamic cources but I was not impressed with the flight program. To expensive and local FBO could do as well or possibley better flight training. No direct experiance with U of ND but I have heard many good things.

If his goal is airlines then yes it is good, they are taught to think as an airline pilot. as in not much at all, follow checklists, follow company procedure, call dispatch if anything not on the list happens. if he wants to fly charter or corporate then stay away

It is still best to learn to fly first. Airline procedures are best learned after you know how to fly. Several recent airline incidents support this concept. Colgin Air is just one example.
Ultralights are the best pilot training tool available for basic flying skills.

So...this goomer should have his BS or BA by now, wherever he ended up. Does that make any more comments to this string...purely academic???

More like post academic I would think.

WKOPF,
I concur sir!

You don’t need ERAU or any other high priced college if your goal is to be a pilot. I went to ERAU and regret it, and many do after trying to pay the cost on a CFI or commuter pilot salary. I left there after first year as I realized it would take me 4 years to even finish my commercial pilots ME ....at a cost twice what I could do for elsewhere. Within 1 year after leaving I had all my ratings and about 350 hours working as a cfi (finished degree at local college for a lot less and got credits for my ratings). Within 2 years I was on a commuter, an ATP type rated capt as soon as I turned 23 (could of upgraded earlier but min age for ATP is 23), and at 25 I was flying B727 for a major. My friends who stayed at Riddle were still flight instructing or just getting on with the commuters by the time I was flying jets and had a seniority number. I have ran into several of them over the years and all are way behind me in career progression... some more than 15 years behind due to the ups and downs of economy and furloughs and even a few airline bankruptcies.

another point, I knew two guys that couldn’t fly for medical reasons later in life and had to change professions which their expensive aviation degrees held little value.

you asked for opinions, so here’s mine: start flight training at a well established school that you can finish all your ratings within 1 year and offer cfi job to grads.... some of these CFIs are logging 80-100 hrs/month! It’s expensive, but a lot less than Riddle. Start online degree program with an accredited school (don’t show up for a job interview with a degree from some fake, unaccredited university), and maybe get a 2 year degree ASAP if they offer it.... many schools give you credits for FAA certificates. Important thing is you can say you are working on degree at same time as flying and instructing. Build flight time as fast as you can. Four years later you have, or close to having a Bach degree, all ratings, and an ATP......
when all your ERAU peers will have only 250 hours and about 10 years worth of school loans to pay. One more thing, airlines now place little influence on your degree major, and I don’t recommend putting all your eggs in one basket in this profession.. the 250 or so hours decrease for ATP mins a flight degree saves you will only require additional 3-4 months. You will save a lot of money and advance quicker.

one more thing, while you are in flight school, contact the air national guard units in the area. When I looked into thin in the 1980s they only took previously military pilots and rarely put anyone through flight school. Now they do, and you won’t have a 10-12 year commitment before applying to the airlines.

Hope this helps.