2026 Best Value Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew Schools in Illinois
[Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew](/majors/transportation-materials-handling/air-transportation/airline-commercial-professional-pilot-and-flight-crew/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew students.
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Featured Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
2026 Best Value Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot & Flight Crew Schools
Our analysis ranked Southwestern Illinois College the best value for a degree in airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Belleville, Southwestern Illinois College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,230 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,720. Airline/commercial/professional Pilot & Flight Crew graduates carry a median of $10,388 in student loans. Early-career airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew graduates make about $44,345. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Parkland College one of the best values for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew. Parkland College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Champaign. In-state tuition and fees average $4,284, with out-of-state students paying around $13,266. Students borrow a median of $10,168 to complete the airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew program here. Soon after graduation, airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degree recipients from Parkland College generally make around $40,409. That is a strong return on a $10,168 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southern Illinois University Carbondale earned it the #3 place for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew. Set in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,334. Airline/commercial/professional Pilot & Flight Crew graduates carry a median of $20,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Carbondale generally make around $42,010. Set against $20,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Lewis University one of the best values for airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew. Lewis University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Romeoville. Students from in state pay about $39,200 in tuition and fees. Airline/commercial/professional Pilot & Flight Crew graduates carry a median of $24,873 in student loans. Early-career airline/commercial/professional pilot & flight crew graduates make about $55,718. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
