Need help deciding on major/career

[Stewie26]

There is going to be a hugh shortage of airplane pilots. Most major airlines require that you have a four year degree to get hired. They don't seem to picky what the degree is in. Yes, for the most part you are working indoors but your office chair has the best views in the world.

 

[PillO]

Maybe my view is skewed by having lived in Silicon Valley most of my life, but I have known lots of engineering types who were incapable of being anything other than engineers, they were barely people.

I lived in silicon valley for a couple of years. It is its own weird microcosm in which being as you describe is lauded, unlike anywhere else.

 

[btmpancake]

Computer technology seems to be here forever and there's always something new, most people use them in some form. I wouldn't mind fixing, designing, creating etc; if you're really good you could always be a hacker...I mean the best of anything rarely goes without.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

There is going to be a hugh shortage of airplane pilots. Most major airlines require that you have a four year degree to get hired. They don't seem to picky what the degree is in. Yes, for the most part you are working indoors but your office chair has the best views in the world.

Thought about that for awhile. I know a lot of captains for FedEx, and those guys clear well over 200k a year. One I've known since I was 4 years old made over 400k when I was in high school.

The problem is the cost of entry. Pilot school and working to accrue your hours will easily run you into 100k of debt, and starting pay at small, regional airlines is usually around 20-30k a year. It's not worth it unless you're the son of the fore mentioned pilot who can have his dad cover the bill.

 

[GregC]

Working outside sounds great when you're young. Not so great when you're older. Same goes for any job where you're on your feet all day. (My brother has worked in hotel catering for decades and had to have both knees replaced at 48.) I understand the aversion to sitting at a desk, but try to go into a field where you can strike a balance, or progress to a less physically demanding role as you age.

 

[Stewie26]

Thought about that for awhile. I know a lot of captains for FedEx, and those guys clear well over 200k a year. One I've known since I was 4 years old made over 400k when I was in high school.

The problem is the cost of entry. Pilot school and working to accrue your hours will easily run you into 100k of debt, and starting pay at small, regional airlines is usually around 20-30k a year. It's not worth it unless you're the son of the fore mentioned pilot who can have his dad cover the bill.

You are correct as training will be near $100k. But with that said, the $20K to 30K starting salary will increase quite rapidity as the pilot shortage gets worse and demand increases in the next few years. Also, you can keep the training cost down if you are willing to get a flight instructor's license and teach primary students for two years or so. You are basically getting paid around $32-35 an hour as a flight instructor and building your flight time log book at the same time. Most airlines want a minimum of 1500 hundred hours to bring you on as a First Officer. I have quite a few friends who have done it this way.