Best Aviation Management Schools Near Decatur, IL (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Decatur, Illinois has 1 accredited school offering aviation management programs. Decatur has a population of about 70,368. Median household income is $50,809 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning aviation management-related role is Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers at a median $293,490 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Aviation Management Schools to Decatur

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer aviation management programs near Decatur, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Decatur city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Decatur. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Southwestern Illinois College

Belleville, IL 106.7 miles from Decatur
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,884
Avg net price $10,427/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL 128.9 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
73.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,099
Avg net price $17,028/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,200
Out‑of‑state$39,200
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL 148.7 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,390
Avg net price $13,297/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 121

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois aviation management page.

Aviation Management Wages Near Decatur

Decatur is part of the Decatur, IL metro area (BLS area code 19500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $293,490 IL statewide $332,002
Commercial Pilots $126,100 IL statewide $142,647
Air Traffic Controllers $181,560 IL statewide $205,385
Airfield Operations Specialists N/A IL statewide –
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $160,460 Decatur, IL $181,516
Logisticians $81,760 Decatur, IL $92,489
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $58,600 IL statewide $66,290
Flight Attendants $62,120 IL statewide $70,271

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Decatur at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 70,368 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $50,809 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 21.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Decatur-Area Cities With Aviation Management Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited aviation management schools are near Decatur, IL?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering aviation management programs near Decatur. The closest is Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN (85.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Indiana State University (85.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying aviation management roles near Decatur?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying aviation management-related roles near Decatur are: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($293,490), Air Traffic Controllers ($181,560), Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers ($160,460). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Springfield instead of Decatur?

Springfield, IL is 38.7 miles from Decatur and has its own set of local aviation management programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Decatur an affordable place to study aviation management?

Decatur’s median household income of $50,809 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Decatur while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Aviation Management Programs

Other Programs Available in Decatur

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Decatur:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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