U.S. median for this major: $83,448.
College Scorecard field of study; 102 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 25% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,615.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $24,591. College Scorecard.
PU Air Transportation: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Indiana colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
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 PU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $5,098 | $21,717 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $6,241 | $26,587 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $9,438 | $40,206 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $18,177 | $77,434 | 1.5 years |
| $110k+ | $22,742 | $96,881 | 1.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (64% 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 ($86,161) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $50,627 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.
Air Transportation at Indiana colleges
Every Indiana college we cover that reports Air Transportation graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purdue University | $86,161 | $21,250 | $14,600 | 83% |
| 2 | Indiana State University | $71,254 | $24,500 | $10,873 | 43% |
Careers for Air Transportation graduates
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
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 PU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About PU
- Acceptance rate: 50% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 83% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $72,424
- Full cost breakdown · all 112 majors · overview
PU Air Transportation questions
How much do PU Air Transportation graduates earn?
Air Transportation graduates of Purdue University earn a median $86,161 four years after graduating and $45,190 one year after. The U.S. median for Air Transportation graduates across 52 colleges is $83,448.
How much debt do PU Air Transportation graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Air Transportation graduates of Purdue University is $21,250, about 25% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,615.
Where does PU rank for Air Transportation in Indiana?
Of 2 Indiana colleges reporting Air Transportation graduate earnings, Purdue 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 $171,260 in Indiana 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
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Purdue University Air Transportation: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/purdue-university-main-campus/majors/air-transportation (College Scorecard and BLS data).