Originally Posted by MARX

According to a recent study by the Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering, an aviation degree does make you a better pilot, or at least more employable depending on how you look at it.

http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewc...1&context=jate

Pilots with an aviation degree are about 6% more likely to complete initial training than a new-hire with a non-aviation degree. Also per the JATE study, a 1000 hour pilot is only 0.4% less likely to complete initial training than a 1500hr+ ATP rated pilot.
(reference JATE 2012 Ph III Tables 8 and 9)

In light of the information supplied by this study, the type of degree that you have is is a far better predictor of success in training and on the line than total flight time. There are always exceptions to the rule, but if I was recruiting pilots for an airline, I'd pick the candidates who are most likely to succeed, and it appears that those are the ones with aviation degrees.