2026 Best Value Air Transportation Schools in Michigan
[Air Transportation](/majors/transportation-materials-handling/air-transportation/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong air transportation education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for air transportation students.
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Featured Air Transportation Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
2026 Best Value Air Transportation Schools in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in air transportation, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Air Transportation Schools
For return on investment in air transportation, no school beat Northwestern Michigan College this year. Located in the city of Traverse City, Northwestern Michigan College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,860 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $13,476. Students borrow a median of $14,803 to complete the air transportation program here. Soon after graduation, air transportation degree recipients from Northwestern Michigan College generally make around $37,988. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Eastern Michigan University one of the best values for air transportation. Located in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $16,990 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for air transportation graduates is $29,750. Early-career air transportation graduates make about $40,846. That is a strong return on a $29,750 median debt. Eastern Michigan University admits about 80% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Michigan University earned it the #3 place for air transportation. Set in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,987, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for air transportation graduates is $27,000. Early-career air transportation graduates make about $34,872. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
