2026 Best Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 21 schools to find the best for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew students.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew in the Great Lakes Region
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew
Leading the list is Purdue University Main Campus, our #1 school for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew. Set in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public institution. About 83% of students finish within six years. Purdue University Main Campus awarded about 117 airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus generally make around $57,583. Purdue University Main Campus graduates carry a median of $21,250 in student loans.
More information about a degree in airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew from Purdue University Main Campus
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew, ranking #2. Set in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public institution. Southern Illinois University Carbondale graduates 60% of students within six years. About 52 airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degrees were awarded at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Carbondale generally make around $42,010. Typical student debt for the program is $20,750.
See the full airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program report for Southern Illinois University Carbondale
A rank of #3 makes Vincennes University one of the top schools for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew. Vincennes University is a very large public school located in the town of Vincennes. The six-year graduation rate is 3%. Vincennes University awarded about 29 airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program make about $45,976 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $14,506.
Read more about the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program at Vincennes University
Parkland College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew, landing the #4 spot this year. Parkland College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Champaign. There were roughly 53 airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew students who graduated with this degree at Parkland College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program make about $40,409 in their early career. Parkland College graduates carry a median of $10,168 in student loans.
Read more about the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program at Parkland College
Sinclair Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew schools. Located in the city of Dayton, Sinclair Community College is a very large public university. Sinclair Community College awarded about 24 airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degree recipients from Sinclair Community College generally make around $35,348. Sinclair Community College graduates carry a median of $12,525 in student loans.
Read more about the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program at Sinclair Community College
Northwestern Michigan College placed #6 among the best airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew schools. Set in the city of Traverse City, Northwestern Michigan College is a mid-sized public institution. Northwestern Michigan College graduates 53% of students within six years. About 32 airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degrees were awarded at Northwestern Michigan College in the most recent year. Airline/commercial/professional Pilot & Flight Crew graduates of Northwestern Michigan College earn a median of $37,988 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $14,803 to complete this degree.
Read more about the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program at Northwestern Michigan College
Indiana State University placed #7 among the best airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew schools. Set in the city of Terre Haute, Indiana State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Roughly 43% of students complete a degree within six years here. Indiana State University awarded about 19 airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program make about $40,112 in their early career. Indiana State University graduates carry a median of $24,500 in student loans.
See the full airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program report for Indiana State University
Eastern Michigan University landed the #8 spot for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew this year. Located in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public university. Roughly 46% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 10 airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew students who graduated with this degree at Eastern Michigan University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program make about $40,846 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $29,750 to complete this degree.
Get the full airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew details for Eastern Michigan University
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 21 schools evaluated.
- 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.
