Central Washington University Air Transportation: earnings, debt & careers

Air Transportation graduates of Central Washington University earn a median $74,997 four years after graduating ($40,025 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $19,500. That is $8,451 below the U.S. median for Air Transportation graduates ($83,448 across 52 colleges), and ranks 1st of 1 Washington colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$74,997

U.S. median for this major: $83,448.

College Scorecard field of study; 41 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$40,025

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$19,500

About 26% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,615.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$18,476 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $28,816. College Scorecard.

CWU Air Transportation: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

CWU graduates$74,997

Fewer than 3 Washington colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.

U.S. median (52 colleges)$83,448 (−$8,451)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Air Transportation nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses CWU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$11,846$52,4781.5 years
$30–48k$13,942$61,7631.8 years
$48–75k$16,022$70,9772.0 years
$75–110k$21,682$96,0512.8 years
$110k+$26,719$118,3653.4 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (32% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Air Transportation graduates 4 years after graduating ($74,997) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $34,778 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Careers for Air Transportation graduates

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

Washington$229,900
U.S.$232,140

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at CWU, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About CWU

CWU Air Transportation questions

How much do CWU Air Transportation graduates earn?

Air Transportation graduates of Central Washington University earn a median $74,997 four years after graduating and $40,025 one year after. The U.S. median for Air Transportation graduates across 52 colleges is $83,448.

How much debt do CWU Air Transportation graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Air Transportation graduates of Central Washington University is $19,500, about 26% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,615.

Where does CWU rank for Air Transportation in Washington?

Of 1 Washington colleges reporting Air Transportation graduate earnings, Central Washington University ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Air Transportation graduates get?

A common career is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, with a median wage of $229,900 in Washington and $232,140 nationally.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “Central Washington University Air Transportation: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/central-washington-university/majors/air-transportation (College Scorecard and BLS data).