I’d say public perception is the reason all airlines are not willing to drop the degree preference. Whether it actually makes a difference or not, people will feel better if they know they can expect that their pilots have a college degree.

Edited for accuracy

It’s not a requirement.

But it’s sure darn close. If you don’t have it and think you have the “goods”... well more power to you. Go for it I suppose. What do you bring to the table that balances things out?

With regard to the numbers being let go, I recently spent some time at TK. Several reliable sources said that as many as 30+/- had been let go over the past year. Reason, primarily attitude and the inability to put their smartphone away.

Apparently one 'dude' even told the examiner to standby while he answered an incoming text on his smartphone. That ended the checkride right there! Given that the briefing guide addresses smartphone usage, answering or responding to a text is considered as 'intentional non-compliance with SOP' and is grounds for failing a checkride.

Another individual got a little sassy when a certain (lady) chief pilot visiting TK, made a comment about his facial hair and overall slovenly appearance.

Assume that everybody you meet at TK outranks you - they do!

Just because you were lucky enough to get hired, you still need to make it through probation! You are being watched and should consider your probationary year as one long interview!

The OP asked if anyone had been hired without a 4 year degree.
The fact the the UNITED requirements page does not say that a 4 year degree is a requirement will continue to leave the door open for this question to continue to be asked, to your chagrin apparently.

And I know a whole lot of really dumb “smart” people so 4 years at an institution may or may not equal measurable intelligence but yes it is highly preferred for this job as established by the majority of the posts here.

General requirements:

Current, valid passport
Legal right to work in the United States
Must be able to travel freely within the United States and without restriction to all countries United serves
Some countries place entry restrictions on foreign visitors. For instance, Canada prohibits entry to people who have been convicted of criminal offenses or who have criminal charges currently pending against them. Some convictions that make a person inadmissible for entry into Canada include theft, driving while intoxicated (DWI) and a number of felonies and misdemeanors. There are procedures to seek special permission or waivers from Canada to permit entry, but these are not automatic. This is not a complete list of countries with restrictions.
High school diploma or GED equivalent
Bachelor’s degree from accredited college or university is preferred
Reliable, punctual attendance is an essential function of the position

At WAI United stated that 98% of new hires had a degree. Numbers tell the story.

You're mostly correct. But, United has hired guys without a degree so your declarative statement about interviewing without one isn't absolute. Are your chances of being selected less without one? Of course, they are.

On a busy day in a busy airport with crap weather, would you rather fly with a 12,000-hour re-tread from some forgettable 121 Non-Sked or a guy with a degree and no time in anything bigger than a Seneca? My opinion only, but as the pool of HIGHLY qualified guys (those with quality and substantial flight experience) dries up it should become easier for the non-degree crowd to get hired here. Provided of course that they can check most of the other magic boxes on the application.

As we all know, seniority is everything in this industry. The sooner you have all the boxes checked and get hired, the sooner you get your name on a seniority list. And if the feces impacts the blades, a degree will enhance your chances of finding work with more impre$$ive potential than the guy who hits the bricks without one.

Also, 99% of the applicants had a 4 year degree, so someone without a degree has twice the chance of getting hired. Numbers mean nothing if you don't have all of them.

But, yes, get a degree (if only to disprove my point)

Yes we have established that over and over and over.......but thats not the point of the posters question.

I agree 100%, however since HR is in charge of pilot selection and pilots don’t get involved until the interview process, I don’t see the emphasis on a degree changing. For pilots experience is the greatest feature on a resume. To someone from an office environment that degree means the same thing. Everyone here knows that that 4 year degree in business administration has no affect your ability to fly. I’d rather have the high time guy who has been beat around a little sitting up front than the highly educated Seneca pilot, but as long as someone from an office instead of pilots decides who we select for interviews, applicants should just consider the degree a requirement.

Eh. Sort of correct. The difference between today and the pre-internet days is the medium the internet and sites like APC provide to continually reinforce that notion.

Who remembers the days pre-internet? When you actually had to send a typewritten letter to the major airlines to request a paper application. Did the application say 'college degree required?' Probably. It also said, back in the day (and i'm only mid-forties), being a check airman, CP, and actual PIC time was required too. It's only recent (say last 20 years) where the degree was emphasized over everything else. Oh and girl power and everything like that too. :)

The Air Jobs Digest was the only way to get corp/135 jobs as well.

Point is...Although the degree may have always been required, a bunch of other things used to be too. It was a tough time for civilians to get hired over military guys/gals as well.