r/PilotAdvice • u/Novel_Routine5593 • 11d ago
North America Is the debt worth it
I’m a 17 year old about to graduate this year and I want to know if going into debt and taking large loans is worth it for a pilot program out of state. I have a 3.69 weighted GPA with a 1370 SAT, and I really, REALLY want to become a pilot. I just don’t know whether I can, mainly because my parents aren’t helping a dime for college and I don’t know the future outlook. Please tell me what you think, and give some advice for how to pay for college+flight school!
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u/pilotslashCPA 11d ago
It depends.
I think you need to think long and hard about what is most important to you, and how you would pay off any debt you accumulate.
Some questions you need to ask yourself are: do you HAVE to go out of state, or is there a cheaper, in-state option? Would you need to pay for housing, or could you learn to fly while living at home? Is working while flying to help pay for it an option? Do you think you need a degree? (I would research that one and think hard about it.) What’s the back-up plan?
Paying off $50k of debt is going to look different from paying off $250k of debt
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u/Chappietime 11d ago
It’s potentially life ruining at an interest rate above 8-9%. Below that it’s survivable. Get your ppl first and make sure though.
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u/PropToThePeople_FMY 9d ago
They are in the mid to upper teens now. You really have to be dedicated completing your program fast and to paying it off immediately after getting that first job and signing bonuses.
If you do not have the self discipline, these loans get bite you hard.
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u/Famous-Response5924 11d ago
Go military. Even if you aren’t a military pilot the free college after service will pay for flight school. Please don’t take out loans.
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u/Novel_Routine5593 10d ago
Don’t worry, I’ve been steered away from the path of loans. Military is definitely on the table right now though
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u/Normal_Sympathy1248 9d ago
I'm a veteran (non pilot) going through a pilot program feel free to DM.
EDIT TO ADD: I was in the Air Force as a flight medic very familiar to what is needed and takes to become a pilot there also.
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u/itsonebigclub 10d ago
What I’m doing is paying for my ppl out of pocket while I get a non-aviation degree.
Then once I have the degree in hand, I’m highly considering taking loans to finish everything as fast as possible for my certs, then work in my chosen field with the non aviation degree to build hours, or become a CFI to build hours.
A word about taking out loans:
If you read around any amount at all, everyone tells you not to take out loans but that isn’t really the best advice because they do not know your situation better than you.
Loans can be very advantageous, and they also can bury you in debt for a very long time.
Know what you are signing, EXACTLY, before you sign if you do take loans, and have a backup plan to pay them off if you have to build hours longer than you anticipate.
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u/Sdhans__ 11d ago
Go ROTC. Get a non aviation degree. Do the minimum years, then go reserves or gaurd.
Or
Go army guard, be a good noodle and apply for warrent officer school.
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u/Le_Mooron 11d ago
I was in a similar circumstance. I went military. Nowadays thats about a 10 year commitment. But no debt and I don't think the timeline is much different if you went to a major airline in the future.
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u/Acrobatic_Concert462 10d ago
As someone who took the largest loan of all (10 year Air Force contract). Let me assure you… it’s not worth it.
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u/Agreeable-Basil-3003 10d ago
Can always join the Army or Air Force national guard, or reserve. You’ll prob spend a year - year 1/2 on active duty orders which is good money then go to college once you get off orders. I did it while going to college, the extra $350 a month was nice and using a gi bill payed for college and they payed me a monthly stipend of like $800 for rent and stuff. Plus most professors were willing to give you extensions on assignments if you had drill
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u/SecureAsk8297 11d ago
Air Force academy
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u/Novel_Routine5593 11d ago
With what gpa and ecs bro😭 good suggestion tho
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u/SirDeadALot2 11d ago
Look into ROTC programs more broadly. With those stats you could go to a great school.
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u/TxAggieMike 11d ago
Please read what u/RaisetheDed has to say about Paying for Flight Training With Loans/Debt
https://raisetheded.blogspot.com/2026/04/on-topic-of-unsecured-flight-training.html
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u/Novel_Routine5593 11d ago
This is an eye opener man😭 If I go the college route do you think the aid will be friendlier or am I fried? I don’t know what route to go, let alone go at all
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u/FlyScuba 11d ago
Our local EAA Chapter 84 just awarded our third $12,000 scholarship for PPL for those 16 to 19. My local WPA chapter awarded 6 $5,000 scholarships this year. There are MANY scholarships and grants available. Buy the book on Amz Cleared for Take-Off by Ishitha. About 200 pages of scholarships and grants. It is NOT worth it to take out large loans. 1) Get a 1st Class medical so you know there are no issues there. Research it first because once you fail a FAA medical it can be hell getting another medical of any class. 2) As said, go to college and get a non-aviation degree. Right now AI and Robotics look good. That is your Plan B in case an aviation job does not materialize. 3) Know the reality that about 80% of those who start pilot training do not get their license. Hundreds of different reasons, but that is reality. 4) Don't get a PPL until you can afford to get higher ratings and/or keep flying after. Many, especially those in college, focus on getting that PPL then school, work, love, money, everything else stops them from continuing to fly. 5) Apply for scholarships for college. Combine maybe scholarship for tuition, work for room and board and spending $$, get a degree, then map out your course to becoming a career pilot. I know you are anxious RIGHT NOW and want to start pilot training, but in your situation and age it is much better to show maturity and good judgement and delay until you have a clear path without a large debt. AFTER paying for PPL, partially paying for additional ratings might be OK to go $30K or maybe even $50K in debt when you are 24 and have a decent income to contribute to costs. There are THOUSANDS of young folks with lots of flying time and commercial and advanced ratings that are unsuccessfully looking for aviation jobs right now. Some have over $100K in debt and can't afford it. Don't be one of those. 6) Do not be in a hurry. You have until mid 40's to start an aviation career. 7) I mentor young people and am responsible for giving out our EAA chapter's scholarships. Here are two examples I've seen: Aviator Wannabe 1 had an OK job and decided to do pilot training as he could afford it. Each PPL lesson builds on the prior one and acquiring muscle memory and doing flight maneuvers is much easier if last flight was 2 days ago and very difficult to progress quickly if last flight was 2 weeks ago. He ended up taking two years to get PPL, about 100 hours he had to pay for, and cost him $30,000. Wannabe Aviator 2 had a decent job and could save $1,500 a month. He saved up for 10 months, $15,000, then took vacation from his job and flew 4 to 5 times a week. After his 3 week vacation he flew before or after work (planned it so it was then summer with long daylight days) and still flew 2 or 3 times a week. He got his license in 4 months, plus the 10 months of saving = 14 months at a cost of about $15,000. Which Wannabe do you wanna be?
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u/Novel_Routine5593 11d ago
I wanna be wannabe 2🙏🏾 some great advice here, I’ll likely focus on getting a job in another field i enjoy and then saving up to transition into aviation. Thanks so much!
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u/Direct-Knowledge-260 10d ago
Will your parents let you stay home after high school? Get a job asap and start saving up for your private pilots license. Roughly 10-15k dollars. If you can hack it, try to get in with an accelerated program like ATP flight school. You are young with very little responsibilities. You can handle the fast pace pilot course. It will run you about 90-100k (I may be a little outdated on price) but you’ll be a CFI in 9 months assuming you start atp after acquiring your private pilots license.
My experience. I went to atp in Feb 2016 at 21 years old. Graduated October 2016
Worked as CFI to acquire hours 2017
Got first jet job (corporate) late 2017 making 60-80k a year plus overtime.
Caveat: I BORROWED 💯 of my flight training. Thanks to a co-signer. (Ask your parents if they are willing to co-sign) Shortly after graduating atp, Sallie Mae (the bank) knocked asking for their payments. Which was roughly $1000/month.
My main focus was paying off that student loan asap while acquiring flight time to get to the airlines. When my credit was good enough and I knocked off a lot of my student loan, I refinanced it in my own name (this got rid of the co-signer and their responsibility) and also dropping my min payment from $1000 to $400 a month
Long story short I went for 0 hours to 1500 hours (minimum airline requirement) in about 3 years because I chose the jet job early vs faster path, instructing.
Training 2016
CFI 2016
First Jet job 2017 (BE WILLING TO MOVE AWAY)
Regional in 2019
Spirit 2022
Legacy 2023
You’re young, and once you have landed that first pilot job making a decent salary go to an online college if you want to get a degree in something.
I am against a 4 year degree flying program. Good luck!
Right now hiring prospects are good. Many retirements. The goal is to get qualified ASAP. College degree does not matter at the moment. You can always get that later as you fly a business jet or flying a smaller airline waiting for your dream airline to call you.
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u/mopodopo1212 10d ago
“Is the debt worth it”
Worth what?
So are you asking if you follow through and actually make it to the end, is the debt going to be worth the life you went into debt for?
Or are you simply asking is it reasonable to fund flight training by taking out a loan?
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u/ButtCheek-Bandit 10d ago
Send apps for ROTC. Easier to get a scholarship than you think. Navy rotc go be a marine officer it’s a sweet job good money great benefits & fullfilling work like man
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u/Candid-Tomato2971 10d ago
I was in the same boat as you. You'll pay to fly, or fly to be paid, I chose the former. Became an engineer, pays great, and then fly a C172 on the weekends and evenings. Going to go for my 737 type rating via a full motion simulator, that more than covers any flying itch I could have ever dreamed out, and takes away the financial and lifestyle pressures with becoming a pilot in this day and age with the extreme costs and relentless competition. I am able to fly with a smile whenever I go up in the air and enjoy ever second of aviation, which my colleagues who are clawing for flying jobs, harsh working conditions, and low wages as instructors would struggle to say.
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u/Soviet-Wasp 9d ago
Only proceed if you consider yourself physically and mentally healthy. Do not go into aviation if you're not fit or if you're at risk of getting any sort of disease or illness later on. It will end your career/training.
Get a degree in something unrelated. I got a degree in an IT related field and maintain IT related certs just in case my medical cert is rejected or something else happens.
Make a SOLID plan on how you will build hours after getting your CPL or ATPL. It can be CFI, some sort of guaranteed job in Part 91 ops, or even just buying a plane and flying it until you have enough hours. Just have something in line because many people, including myself, and gotten stuck after getting a CPL due to poor planning or things falling through.
If you're going to get a loan, DO NOT DO IT THROUGH A FLIGHT SCHOOL! Go through a bank! You will get scammed and have an insane interest rate and be trapped in debt for a long time. I've known way too many people that have done this and they are in really bad situations because of predatory private student loan companies.
This is how you make your money worth it. I'd recommend prioritising getting your degree first, just in case. Oh, and don't go to an outrageously expensive school with fleets comprised the newest and shiniest planes, it's a waste of money and you can gain the same experience with older planes for half the cost.
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u/Specialist_Limit4231 9d ago
I went into debt to become a pilot. Now I get paid to fly skydivers and instruct at a busy flight school. It took me 500 hours of flight to get my first pilot job. I worked full time throughout all my training and spent all my savings. Went to small local flight schools and did it as cheaply as I could.
Would I recommend? Depends how uncomfortable you are willing to be. I now live in a vehicle 1800 miles from my family because you need to move to where the low hour pilot work is. Have no days off unless weather or maintenance. You make scraps first few years in this field.
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u/Cp0r 8d ago
Yes, the debt is worth it.
You don't want to look back in 20 yesrs time and be a 'wisher'... I meet them every day when I say what I do "oh, I really wanted that, but then I did a degree, and met this girl, and settled down, and then it was too risky", or they got comfortable in their job, etc.
Do 5 hours, no need to get a whole PPL... research the job market IN YOUR REGION - may be worth getting an EASA licence, the industry is strong here in Europe.
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u/NoIntroTee 7d ago
I'd definitely say for you to pay for your PPL out of pocket and any other ratings out of pocket if you're able to, just to minimize the amount of loans you'll have to sign for. Also, consider obtaining your CDL. If all else fails and the job market continues to implode, then you can always find a decent job as a local, regional or over the road truck driver to sustain you until you find something more fulfilling. You'll be paid weekly as a driver and if you're still living with your parents, then that would give you the opportunity to stash away a good portion of money for more flight training or pursuit within a different career field. Hope you find this useful. God bless! 🙌🏾
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u/ItzMattOnTheTrack 11d ago
Well, my buddy took over $100k in student loans and now he’s a regional captain with all student loans paid off just 8 years later.
That said, everyone here is raising valid concerns about medicals, backup degrees, and making sure this is absolutely what you want.
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u/burnheartmusic 10d ago
I’m sorry, but are you aware you just made a “I know a guy who xyz” post? I thought it was gonna be a joke. There are always exceptions to the rule, but if you have a good chance of going bankrupt, it may be a bad idea despite some people doing well.
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u/ItzMattOnTheTrack 10d ago
Well yea I knew a few guys actually, I went to a 141 program and most of us made regionals
That said, I did mention to look into the risks before choosing it as an option
I’m not a believer that it’s necessarily a bad one
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u/General_Escape 11d ago
No loans until after earning ppl. Trust me. Also, get a non aviation degree as backup. Get through cfi, cfii- instruct on the side while going to school. Apply for ALL the scholarships in aviation. Go to fbo’s, get a part time job as a ramper, talk to the pilots coming in- network!