Find a company that you like where you're based and can live within the means of your paycheck until one of two things happen: you get past year 3-4 pay, or you get a golden ticket and on with a legacy carrier before you're 40.

If you go to the pilot factories: Embry Riddle, Florida Tech, ND, etc...get a degree in management. I went to the regionals 5 years ago - furlough 18 months later and since have had 3 jobs. I've been in my current training department job for 5 months and I'm making 7 year captain pay at a regional and my hard work has put me in the next 737 initial class here...

Aviation is what you make it...it's not the life from the 60's and 70's.