Students working on an airplane part
Aviation

High flying careers await you

The love of flying and the pride of knowing that you kept travelers safe is what drives aviation maintenance technicians, pilots, navigators, UAS operators, designers, and more. Aviation is an ever-changing and high-demand career with new technologies being introduced frequently, commercial air travel increasing, and the use of small UAS vehicles (drones) being used in many sectors. Drones are tools that can be used across many industries but to effectively use them and produce useable data, knowledge in remote sensing, drone piloting and a knowledge of the industry you are supporting is a must. Agriculture, law enforcement, firefighting or conservation are a few examples of industries that can benefit from the addition of drone technology.

Airline Pilot

Fly or navigate airplanes or helicopters on scheduled routes.

Median to Top Salary

$156,900 - $288,100

Future Outlook*

1,516 OPENINGS

Commercial Pilot

Fly or navigate airplanes or helicopters on non-scheduled routes.

Median to Top Salary

$129,200 - $208,300

Future Outlook*

682 OPENINGS

Aircraft Maintenance Technician

Repair aircraft engines and other systems.

Median to Top Salary

$79,300 - $130,000

Future Outlook*

846 OPENINGS

Avionics Technicians

Install, inspect and test electronic equipment in aircraft.

Median to Top Salary

$62,200 - $94,000

Future Outlook*

35 OPENINGS

Find the right college for you

Minnesota State has 25 colleges with transportation related program pathways. Below is the list of colleges that support these career pathways. Expand each one to see what each college offers!

Campus Location
851 30th Ave SE, Rochester, MN 55904
Degrees / Diplomas / Certificates
Visit College Website Schedule Campus Visit
Rochester community and technical college
*All data is from the Minnesota State Transportation Center of Excellence’s Demand Analysis and Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development Labor Market Information. *Future Outlook is the number of job openings over the next five years.

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