Best Aviation Management Schools Near Salem, VA (2026)

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

Salem, Virginia has 4 accredited schools offering aviation management programs, with tuition ranging from $38,550 to $53,460 per year for indexed programs. Salem has a population of about 25,477. Median household income is $66,716 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Virginia, the top-earning aviation management-related role is Air Traffic Controllers at a median $191,820 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Aviation Management Schools to Salem

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer aviation management programs near Salem, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Salem 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 Salem. 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

New River Community College

Dublin, VA 37.4 miles from Salem
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,025
Avg net price $6,279/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA 48.2 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
35.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,813
Avg net price $29,357/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 178

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Averett University

Danville, VA 60.5 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
39.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 57%
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,516
Avg net price $22,925/yr
Tuition
In‑state$38,550
Out‑of‑state$38,550
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Laurel Ridge Community College

Middletown, VA 155.1 miles from Salem
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,000
Avg net price $6,013/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Virginia Peninsula Community College

Hampton, VA 200.7 miles from Salem
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,996
Avg net price $7,012/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Hampton University

Hampton, VA 205.5 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,159
Avg net price $25,319/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Aviation Management Wages Near Salem

Salem is part of the Roanoke, VA metro area (BLS area code 40220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers N/A VA statewide –
Commercial Pilots $104,890 VA statewide $112,062
Air Traffic Controllers $191,820 VA statewide $204,936
Airfield Operations Specialists $72,250 VA statewide $77,190
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $101,080 Roanoke, VA $107,991
Logisticians $78,870 Roanoke, VA $84,263
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $78,420 VA statewide $83,782
Flight Attendants N/A VA 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.

Salem at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 25,477 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $66,716 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 31.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Salem-Area Cities With Aviation Management Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited aviation management schools are near Salem, VA?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering aviation management programs near Salem. The closest is New River Community College in Dublin, VA (37.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is West Virginia University Institute of Technology (70.5 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying aviation management-related roles near Salem are: Air Traffic Controllers ($191,820), Commercial Pilots ($104,890), Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers ($101,080). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Roanoke instead of Salem?

Roanoke, VA is 5.4 miles from Salem 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 Salem an affordable place to study aviation management?

Salem’s median household income of $66,716 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Salem while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Salem

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

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 Virginia (2026)