Should I go with a mechanical engineering degree or Business while working on my pilot licenses?
Posted by RuleOk4604@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 44 comments
Im currently 17 in my senior year. I plan on starting my PPL in two weeks but with college registrations coming around I dont know what to major in. Would it be better to major in a harder degree like ME that gives me a stronger fallback career, or something easier like business that doesnt take away from my flight time for training?
Vivid-Razzmatazz9034@reddit
It honestly comes down to risk tolerance imo. Business degree will be easier to manage while flying but you’re probably in a worse position if you lose your medical. ME will be more effort, especially with flight training, but you’ll be much better off if you do lose your medical.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
i agree, but wouldn’t you be in a worse position as someone who hasn’t used their ME degree in a decade. What i’m trying to say is wouldn’t a company hire someone who just got their degree vs someone who hasn’t used their degree in years? I also heard from a friend that with the business degree if you flew for some years, you could maybe get a corporate job at like the airline you used to work. Correct me if I’m wrong.
BigJellyfish1906@reddit
If you want to be a pilot then an engineering degree is a waste of time and effort. If you want to be an engineer, study engineering. Otherwise study business, or some liberal arts subject.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
thank you
RealP4@reddit
Engineering hands down
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
is their a specific reason?
RealP4@reddit
You can do a lot with mechanical engineering. I believe it’s the most common studied form of engineering but you can go branch out into different areas. It has good job placement, solid demand, and you will have a stable income. Flying is cool if you can get picked up by an airline but it’s becoming more and more competitive. A business degree could be good but the problem is it’s too common and doesn’t hold the same weight as having an engineering degree in my humble opinion.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
I see your point but if my main goal is joining the airlines, wouldnt a mechanical engineering degree due to its rigor, be very time consuming and take away hours that could go into flying?
RealP4@reddit
Yea it will be hard. Your goal to join the airlines is a good one but here’s a fun fact…you can’t get there unless you are 23 anyway. You might as well study engineering in college. Also like I said this industry is getting super competitive there’s way too many pilots flooding the system rn. You putting all your eggs in this basket isn’t a smart move. Train flying when you can get a degree…a flying degree is not worth it tbh. If you lose your medical btw no more flying job. Mechanical engineering is a solid backup and you can always find work with it.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
I see your point, another person said that many people go into the airlines without a degree at all so wouldn’t it be almost a guarantee i get into the airlines if i just have a lot of hours by the time i’m 23? Since im 17 1/2 I would have 5 years to accumulate the hours which should exceed the 1500 I need if im correct.
RealP4@reddit
Bingo especially once you get your CFI and hopefully find a job you should be well above 1500 by the time you are 23. Yea some probably make it without a degree but there’s probably a bit of nuance to that. Like at COVID times they were hiring anyone with a pulse tbh. The 4 year degree preference is a box you’d have to check and you gotta thing with so many people being pilots there has to be something to separate everyone. That’s something they can use so if you have the opportunity to get a degree it’s probably a good move to get one.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
So the plan should be work through my licenses, while doing my engineering degree, then get hired as a cfi and get my hours while still working on my degree?
Double-Reflection838@reddit
You're probably a sharp kid and everything, but engineering school isn't a walk in the park. It would be a tough time, for me at least, to be rolling through higher level Physics, Calculus, Fluid Mechanics, Statics, Dynamics, etc., courses while studying ground school for flying, taking lessons, etc. It's a lot. I'm 48 years old, got my PPL last year, it was a lot of work.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
Im aware of that and thats why im wondering if its worth it to even get it the engineering degree or get a different degree like business.
Jolly_Cicada380@reddit
“Almost a guarantee” no, next question
Double-Reflection838@reddit
If your main goal is to join the airlines, I'm not sure why you're looking at other degrees. Why don't you go and get an aviation degree and start flying?
320sim@reddit
Please don’t try to give people advice if you’re just going to talk out of your ass
Double-Reflection838@reddit
Trigger easily? Poor guy.
320sim@reddit
Not at all. But it’s common sense not to give career advice if you don’t have any idea what you’re talking about. Then you just make a fool of yourself
Double-Reflection838@reddit
In case you didn't notice, the topic of the thread is whether he should get a mechanical engineering degree or a business degree.
I'm 48 years old and have a lot of life experience. I have a mechanical engineering degree. I also have my PPL. I'm certainly capable of answering him in any way that I please. If you don't like it, don't read it.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
Its because the aviation program near me is full and waiting would mean to wait a year. I thought I should do my flight training in a private institution and get my degree at my local college. Is this a good idea?
Double-Reflection838@reddit
You don't need a degree to fly for a living. If your goal is to be a professional pilot, just jump in and start flight school.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
I thought many major airlines preferred a degree as it helped be more competitive.
Double-Reflection838@reddit
I know a lot of CFIs that are going to the airlines/have went to the airlines. It's probably 50/50 on degrees.
RealP4@reddit
With current hiring trends I’d say it’s probably just better to have one vs not
Double-Reflection838@reddit
I feel like it would be better to have an aviation/management degree than a degree unrelated to aviation, don't you?
RealP4@reddit
I will say tho personally aviation degree is too much money. And it usually ties you into a flight provider at a premium cost from the programs I have seen. I think aviation management is probably a better play.
RealP4@reddit
Yea that’s a fair point
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
I see what I heard was that a bachelor just provided a competitive edge in major airlines didn’t know many went to the airlines without a degree at all.
Double-Reflection838@reddit
Any way you could swing to move to another city where there is an aviation program at a local college and a flight school? I'm in Louisville area and Purdue has an aviation program with a flight school right there.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
I have some other responsibilities at home so I doubt moving is in the cards. But I do have flight school here to just doesn’t offer a degree as it just gets you the licenses and gives you the opportunity to work as a CFI there.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
I see thank you
Left_Chemistry_9739@reddit
A person with no degree, or an aviation degree, may be able to fly. Like many have said, it's very competitive.
A person with a business degree can do anything that requires a business degree, and with the right certificates and experience, may also be able to fly.
A person with an engineering degree can be an engineer, where demand often outstrips supply. Engineers can also be trained or learn to do "business", or more importantly: *management* of a business. Engineers can also be pilots with the right certificates and experience. Engineers can build new things too, like airplanes that don't need pilots.
It rarely works the other way.
UnlikelyFall8749@reddit
I am a mechanical engineer from Europe. By the way you speak, I feel you’re American right? Mechanical Engineering as a profession is dog shit. There is a big issue with employment around Europe (I am not sure about America). Nevertheless, even in America, what I am noticing is that relative to the state/area or whatever, the pay is not so great (maybe in Texas it’s ok) when compared to other professions.
Additionally, flight school will involve the need for a decent amount of concentration. The degree in Mechanical engineering is no joke. That’s why I find it bs, because at points the profession is also involved in medical industry (biomedical engineering).
I mention medical because in most ppl’s head, Ppl think one of the highest paying jobs are doctors etc etc and they also associate it with difficulty.
Nevertheless, most engineers do go through similar challenges and difficulties but I believe the rewards are not there. What I mean is, your financial progress is way slower than most other professions and in today’s economy you cannot afford to choose something you think you’ll like.
Why is your choice between business and M.E?
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
Hi, yes I’m American. My choice is between business and ME because they provide competitive edge in the aviation industry, specifically get hired at an airline. It’s not like I’m not open to other degrees but with the research I’ve done, many say these two degrees are good to fall back on (mainly the mechanical engineering degree) and have a competitive edge when trying to get hired by an airline. thats mainly why its between these two as it helps me in my goal of going to the airlines.
Double-Reflection838@reddit
BSME here.......I'll be biased, but a business degree is very broad and vague......and everyone has them. They're so common that a BSME at UK was 4 years. BSME with an MBA was 5.
shrunkenhead041@reddit
A Business degree can be vague, or if you go into the right program with a focus and work hard for solid internships and networking, it can be a good choice. Going into engineering just as a fall back if you don't have much interest in it can be a truly miserable college experience.
Pursue what you have a passion for. If professional flying doesn't work out, what do you see yourself doing as a career, without being miserable.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
I see thank you
lil_layne@reddit
Whatever field you can see yourself working in.
Fit_Midnight_3927@reddit
Mechanical isnt bad. Businesses degrees seem to be more so common. I have a friend with a masters in business and he does sales for a liquor company. Great job. Doesn't have to be in an office and is home every night. Doesn't need the degree, but Im sure it helped.
Mechanic degree. Usually after you will have to get experience at a job you might not like just to put on resume, after though you are making great money. That's from two other people I know.
Either one isn't a terrible choice.
RuleOk4604@reddit (OP)
I see thank you
First-Length6323@reddit
Mech eng.
Goop290@reddit
Boeing helps pay for it
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Im currently 17 in my senior year. I plan on starting my PPL in two weeks but with college registrations coming around I dont know what to major in. Would it be better to major in a harder degree like ME that gives me a stronger fallback career, or something easier like business that doesnt take away from my flight time for training?
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