Depending on your exact circumstances, the price of pilot training in the United States varies within a general range that starts at $70,000 for just flight hours at a school like Pelican, but can top out over $200,000 with a university to become an airline pilot. Some of the most significant factors include location and previous experience. Training is typically between $90,000 and $130,000 according to ATP Flight School, but the nature of the training structure is the largest differentiator.

There are accelerated academies that can essentially take a complete novice off the street and get them certified to fly professionally in about a year, for a steep price. Similarly, aviation universities that combine flight training with a college degree are also very pricey. Where an aspiring First Officer will find the lowest cost is at a self-paced flight school.

The self-paced flight training is also where location and prior experience change the calculus the most. A military veteran coming out of active duty service with lots of flight training will be able to quickly certify and get into the cockpit of a jetliner cruising the friendly skies. On the other hand, a complete novice will require a significant amount of training both in the cockpit and on the ground, which is where the price varies depending on the flight school and where it is.

Freelance, University, Or Military

Credit: Delta Air Lines

The choice between paths to achieve an Airline Transport Pilot License boils down to essentially three options. There is the method of independently piecing together flight training with education on your own, or freelancing. Then there’s also the path of an aviation university program, which is more expensive but includes a very comprehensive educational experience. The final option is to join the military and apply to be a pilot.

The most complex, most likely, most time-consuming but certainly most affordable way to become a professional aviator is to begin with a flying club and then start taking flight training lessons one step at a time, working towards the first certification. Many aspiring pilots will split the cost of aircraft rental with other students so that each can log flight time, but cut down on the total price to fly. The total estimated investment that this method will cost is between $50,000 and $70,000.

If you are interested in attending university but have already decided to pursue a career as a professional pilot, then combining your bachelor’s degree with a training program offers the most comprehensive package. The cost of flight ‘lab fees’ will add on to the cost of the standard university tuition. Prestigious aeronautical schools operate newer aircraft with advanced equipment, which is reflected by the higher cost of training. Including housing and other associated costs, the potential price of such an education can exceed $200,000.

Flying Down South: The Cradle Of Aviation

Credit: Department of Defense

A little-known fact outside of the aviation world is that Florida is one of the largest hubs of aviation training on the planet. This is in large part due to a massive number of US Air Force and Naval aviators who train in Pensacola and the surrounding area. Pensacola is also home to Eglin Air Force Base, one of the largest in the world. As a result of this immense concentration of aviation infrastructure, there is a large number of small flight schools that both contract with the military for early stages of training and are open to the public.

The traffic from the military helps keep down prices for other aspiring aviators from the civilian world. Supreme Florida is often cited as one of the lowest-cost flight schools in America thanks to its use of light sport aircraft. This choice of aircraft significantly reduces fuel and maintenance overhead costs, allowing the school to create a highly affordable path to becoming a flight instructor in 150 hours.

The Most Affordable States For Flight Training

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​While Florida offers many options and good pricing, the state does not rank as one of the five cheapest on average. That honor actually goes to the state of Oklahoma, which is home to one of the largest military aviation concentrations in the US as well. Texas, which also hosts a lot of military aviation and flight training schools, comes in number two, with Kansas ranking third. The latter is the home of a huge concentration of Boeing manufacturing as well.

Looking back to the South, Alabama ranks as the fourth cheapest. It is both home to a large amount of US Army aviation, and it is just a hop over the border from Pensacola, in the cradle of naval aviation in America. Rounding out the five cheapest is Ohio.

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The Priciest Places To Learn Stick & Rudder Skills

Credit: Delta Air Lines

Not surprisingly, the states that are the most expensive to learn to fly in also average high in the cost of living and other baseline expenses compared to the five most affordable locations for flight training. Specifically, the cost of aviation fuel is a large driver of the higher price in these places. Additionally, there is the higher base cost of aircraft storage and airfield operations. Typically, the cost to pay for instruction is higher as the local area has a higher cost of living as well.

It is important to do some research when considering traveling to another state in the Midwest or the South, or perhaps Ohio, as the cost of lodging will impact the overall price of training. A number of flight schools have options to help offset costs and coordinate the other aspects of travel to help out students. A lot of the more affordable schools will include the price of fuel in their rental rates for aircraft, making it simpler to calculate the full investment.

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Wings of Gold: Military Options

Credit: Department of Defense

The US military has fixed-wing pilots in the Air Force, Navy, Marines, and even the Coast Guard. These professional aviators fly everything from fighter jets to colossal cargo planes and even tilt rotors or jump jets. There are also many rotary wing pilots in the service, including the US Army, which has the largest fleet of helicopters in the world. Here, the training that’s estimated to be valued at a million dollars will be free in exchange for service, but the commitment requires a decade of time in uniform.

That clock only begins ticking after you have already left university and proven basic aptitude for flying. Notably, as most joined the Air Force to be a pilot, it is considered one of the most competitive fields in order to actually be chosen to sit in the cockpit. The Coast Guard is also statistically extremely challenging for an aspiring aviator, as it has a very small fleet with extremely specialized missions. The Navy Marines are also highly competitive, with very high standards for naval aviation candidates.

The Army is more accessible as it is the only service branch that allows warrant officers to become helicopter pilots. These rotary wing aviators are not required to complete a bachelor’s degree prior to flight training, unlike the other service branches. The Army also has an enormous number of helicopters, more than the total number of airframes in many Air Forces around the world. Going this route would require training for fixed-wing after leaving the service, but it could still be a very rewarding career.

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Making The Transition To Civil Flying After Military Service

Credit: Department of Defense

Military aviators will serve somewhere between 11 and 13 years before they are eligible to leave. After officially leaving the service, pilots can use the military competency testing process to bypass a large amount of civilian flight hour requirements to receive a commercial pilot license. Most pilots can get at least half of the total 1,500 hours required for an airline transport pilot certificate. The cost of the other training requirements will fall on the student.

However, many airlines are eager to recruit military veterans and have programs that offset or completely cover the price of transition training. Helicopter pilots from the Army or other service branches can make the transition to commercial flying through the rotor transition programs. These programs are a bridge between military experience and fixed-wing requirements as the Federal Aviation Administration dictates. Expedited training can see former helicopter pilots receive their restricted ATP in as little as 90 days.