2027 Best Value Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew](/majors/transportation-materials-handling/air-transportation/airline-commercial-professional-pilot-and-flight-crew/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew students.
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2027 Best Value Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew Schools
Leading the list is Wichita Area Technical College, our #1 best value for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew in the The Plains States Region. Wichita Area Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Wichita. Students from in state pay about $7,237 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew graduates is $11,828. Soon after graduation, airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degree recipients from Wichita Area Technical College generally make around $35,358. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew will find it at Ozarks Technical Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Springfield, Ozarks Technical Community College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,256, while out-of-state students pay about $7,040. Typical student debt for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew graduates is $15,866. Airline/commercial/professional Pilot & Flight Crew graduates of Ozarks Technical Community College earn a median of $36,644 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Central Missouri came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew schools. Set in the town of Warrensburg, University Of Central Missouri is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,050, compared with $18,600 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program here. Soon after graduation, airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degree recipients from University Of Central Missouri generally make around $58,753. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Lake Superior College one of the best values for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew. Located in the city of Duluth, Lake Superior College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,785. Typical student debt for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew graduates is $17,156. Soon after graduation, airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degree recipients from Lake Superior College generally make around $42,543. That is a strong return on a $17,156 median debt.
Kansas State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,221, while out-of-state students pay about $28,568. Typical student debt for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew graduates is $21,500. Airline/commercial/professional Pilot & Flight Crew graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $51,198 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Dubuque ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew schools. Set in the city of Dubuque, University Of Dubuque is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,095. Students borrow a median of $26,250 to complete the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program here. Airline/commercial/professional Pilot & Flight Crew graduates of University Of Dubuque earn a median of $37,362 early in their careers. Set against $26,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
