by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 26 U.S. colleges awarded 192 degrees and certificates in Remote Aircraft Pilot. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 38% of graduates. College Factual ranks 7 schools in its 2027 Best Remote Aircraft Pilot Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $54,735 one year after completing, rising to $88,771 after four years.
A degree in Remote Aircraft Pilot explores A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To Fly Unmanned Aircraft System (Uas) For Commercial, Professional, Or Personal Use, And Qualifies Individuals To Sit For The Faa Remote Pilot Certificate With Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Suas) Rating Knowledge Examination. Includes Instruction In Principles Of Unmanned Aircraft System Design And Performance; Aircraft Flight Systems And Controls; Airway Safety And Traffic Regulations; And Governmental Rules And Regulations Pertaining To Piloting Unmanned Aircraft. Examples: [Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Uas)].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, remote aircraft pilot is a popular field of study, with 192 degrees awarded annually. 26 colleges award remote aircraft pilot degrees, an average of 7 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 32.
By level, the 192 awards include 8 certificates, 8 associate degrees, 32 bachelor’s degrees and 73 master’s degrees.
Women earned 18% of remote aircraft pilot degrees and certificates in the latest year (34 of 192). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (122) and Hispanic or Latino (19), and international students earned 1.
College Factual ranks 7 schools in its 2027 Best Remote Aircraft Pilot Schools ranking, including 1 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks remote aircraft pilot schools within 2 states. In all, 26 colleges offer remote aircraft pilot programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Remote Aircraft Pilot Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
How long a remote aircraft pilot degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 8 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 8 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 32 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 73 |
Remote Aircraft Pilot has 7 similar majors in the Transportation & Materials Moving field, which together award 11,808 degrees a year; the largest are Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General (6,536), Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and Flight Crew (2,560) and Aviation/Airway Management and Operations (2,152). Browse all Transportation & Materials Moving majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General | 6,536 |
| Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and Flight Crew | 2,560 |
| Aviation/Airway Management and Operations | 2,152 |
| Air Traffic Controller | 235 |
| Air Transportation, Other | 219 |
| Airline Flight Attendant | 70 |
| Flight Instructor | 36 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
