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2026 Best Value Flight Instructor Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Flight Instructor](/majors/transportation-materials-handling/air-transportation/flight-instructor/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong flight instructor education at a price that pays off.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for flight instructor students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Flight Instructor Schools in the The Plains States Region

2026 Best Value Flight Instructor Schools in the The Plains States Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in flight instructor, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Flight Instructor Schools

1

Dodge City Community College
Dodge City, KS

$4,650 In-State Tuition & Fees

$45,427 Median Earnings (10yr)

Dodge City Community College earned the #1 spot for value among flight instructor schools in the The Plains States Region. Set in the town of Dodge City, Dodge City Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,650 in tuition and fees, compared with $5,850 for out-of-state students. Median earnings reach $45,427 ten years out.

2

University Of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND

$10,951 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,769 Avg Student Debt

$63,552 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in flight instructor will find it at University Of North Dakota, which ranked #2. University Of North Dakota is a large public school located in the city of Grand Forks. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,951, while out-of-state students pay about $15,570. Typical student debt for flight instructor graduates is $22,769. Flight Instructor graduates of University Of North Dakota earn a median of $75,100 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of North Dakota admits about 77% of applicants.

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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 · 2 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.