Best Aviation Management Schools Near Smithfield, NC (2026)

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

Smithfield, North Carolina has 2 accredited schools offering aviation management programs, with tuition ranging from $38,550 to $53,460 per year for indexed programs. Smithfield has a population of about 11,798. Median household income is $37,827 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 26.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning aviation management-related role is Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers at a median $151,540 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Aviation Management Schools to Smithfield

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer aviation management programs near Smithfield, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Smithfield 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 Smithfield. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

Sort:
#1

University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive, NC 26.4 miles from Smithfield
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,139
Avg net price $18,853/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City, NC 130.7 miles from Smithfield
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,026
Avg net price $6,364/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

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

Aviation Management Wages Near Smithfield

Smithfield is part of the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area (BLS area code 39580). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $151,540 NC statewide $154,318
Commercial Pilots $130,600 Raleigh-Cary, NC $132,994
Air Traffic Controllers $129,230 NC statewide $131,599
Airfield Operations Specialists $51,620 Raleigh-Cary, NC $52,566
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $110,780 Raleigh-Cary, NC $112,811
Logisticians $78,420 Raleigh-Cary, NC $79,857
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $59,130 NC statewide $60,214
Flight Attendants N/A NC statewide –

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.

Smithfield at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 11,798 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $37,827 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 26.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 98.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Smithfield-Area Cities With Aviation Management Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited aviation management schools are near Smithfield, NC?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering aviation management programs near Smithfield. The closest is University of Mount Olive in Mount Olive, NC (26.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Averett University (94.5 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying aviation management-related roles near Smithfield are: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($151,540), Commercial Pilots ($130,600), Air Traffic Controllers ($129,230). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Clayton instead of Smithfield?

Clayton, NC is 11.4 miles from Smithfield 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 Smithfield an affordable place to study aviation management?

Smithfield’s median household income of $37,827 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Smithfield while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Smithfield

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

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.

Back to Best Aviation Management Schools in North Carolina (2026)