Anyone heard of UPS hiring someone who doesn't have a college degree? Currently captain at PSA Airlines with 9,000+ hours, but no college degree. Should I work toward completing a degree just to have it, or would time be better spent becoming a check airman, flight simulator instructor, etc.? Unfortunately spent my younger days running a flight school to pay my way through my certifications/flight hours instead of "wasting" time on a college degree.

flown with 3 guys in past year who did not have college degree. Tougher path, but not impossible by any stretch. These guys were around your hour Mark and didn’t “know people”

Repeat post

I’d bet most will sympathize with you for not attending college while grinding your way through flight training. However, the first question that comes to mind is: what were you doing during your other 8000hrs? Surely you could have found the time to squeeze at least some classes in here and there? Most aviation colleges will give you a ton of credit - have you done that so at the very minimum you can show an airline that you have made some progress on the books? UPS likes to hire the type that can say they were a check airman/IP at an 121 carrier while finishing their degree part time. Don’t want to “waste” your time? - Study something you’re interested in or that can help with a backup career. Also, we haven’t been taking many RJ guys over the last couple of years. Wide body international time is what you want to have.

Yes, the key is “having a plan” on getting one. For example, having taken an online class so you can show them you are planning on completing it at some point. Once you get hired? Who cares..
(Although FTV3’s comments are spot on)

This info is from a newhire who got hired about 2 years ago.. I remember talking to him at the lunch break during his newhire orientation. It worked for him, hopefully it’ll work for you and for others too.
Good luck!

May class backgrounds: 31 total

5 military. 2 Coast Guard, 3 USAF

2 Legacy’s: UAL and AA

5 Atlas

2 Amerijet

3 LCC, 2 spirit, 1 frontier

5 regionals: 1 SkyWest, 2 Endevor, 1 eagle, 1 compass

7 heavy freight: 3 southern, 2 WG, 1 Omni, 1 national

2 corporate

——-
16% of the class were regional guys.
45% were heavy cargo drivers

That’s a really nice cross section of the industry.

ok that’s not true probably 70% of my fo’s in the bus were regional guy from rj’s only flown with one without a degree though

Well, a quick browse through the last classes shows RJ guys either go to the bus or to the 75 so yeah, you’re gunna fly with a higher # of RJ guys than the MD/74/Z.

April class: 24 total

1 regional - got awarded the bus

Lots of USAF and other military

Emirates, Cathay, multiple Chinese, Atlas


You can keep going up the class lists and you’ll find the same trend, we haven’t been hiring all that many regional only guys. IMVHO, one might be able to sneak onboard without a degree but not coming directly from the regionals.

FWIW, there was one regional guy in my class of ~24. Two 91/135 guys with a lot of time in long-legged airplanes, and the rest all military or Atlas/ABX/Kalitta/Omni etc. as far as I can recall. Not saying it can't happen, but the little slice of information I have suggests that your odds are better if you fly for Uncle Sugar and/or over a lot of water. I don't have an opinion about how it *should* work, just telling you what I see through the little keyhole of my experience. Good luck to all.