Flight school in Minnesota

4 pilot training programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

3 schools offer these pilot training programs, and Minnesota has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Commercial pilots fly and navigate airplanes, helicopters and other aircraft. They usually need flight training, at one of the hundreds of FAA-certified flight schools or as part of a two- or four-year aviation degree, and must meet FAA requirements; airline pilots usually also need a bachelor's degree and experience as a commercial or military pilot.¹ For the FAA commercial pilot certificate you must be at least 18, read, speak and understand English, hold a private pilot certificate, log the required flight time (generally at least 250 hours in an airplane or 150 in a helicopter) and pass a knowledge test and a practical test. Drone pilots who fly for work need the FAA's remote pilot certificate instead: at least 16 and a passed knowledge test.²

In Minnesota, 1 of the 4 programs takes students without a high school diploma and 3 ask for a diploma or equivalent.

All 4 are the same kind of program: pilot (associate degree).

See the 4 programs

How much does flight school cost in Minnesota?

$9,099 to $91,235

is what the 4 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not enough data; 3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later: Not enough data; 4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated: Not enough data; 4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length: Not enough data; 4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Minnesota may also offer flight school. How these figures are made

Is there free flight school in Minnesota?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.³⁴⁵For a degree, the job center first looks at grants such as a federal Pell Grant; WIOA pays toward what they don't cover.⁵
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁶ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁵
Or pay yourself. These programs cost $9,099 to $91,235.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 4 pilot training programs in Minnesota approved for WIOA funding

4 programs

Pilot (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Professional Pilot
Lake Superior College
Duluth
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Lake Superior College, DuluthPilot (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$24,200
Price if you pay yourself$9,099
Program website, Professional Pilot at Lake Superior College
More details about Professional Pilot at Lake Superior College
Finished
18%
Working at 6 months
58%
Earned in a quarter
$6,048
Length
120 weeks, 50 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
208
Listed 2 times in the state's file with differing results. Shown: the listing with the most students.
Earned a year, estimated
$24,200
Price if you pay yourself
$9,099
Program website, Professional Pilot at Lake Superior College
Pilot (associate degree)HybridNo diploma needed
Commercial Pilot
Academy College
Bloomington
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Academy College, BloomingtonPilot (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$37,800
Price if you pay yourself$75,000
Program website, Commercial Pilot at Academy College
More details about Commercial Pilot at Academy College
Finished
21%
Working at 6 months
47%
Earned in a quarter
$9,459
Length
120 weeks, 20 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
79
Earned a year, estimated
$37,800
Price if you pay yourself
$75,000
Program website, Commercial Pilot at Academy College
Pilot (associate degree)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent
Aviation Flight
Academy College
Bloomington
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Academy College, BloomingtonPilot (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$27,200
Price if you pay yourself$91,235
Program website, Aviation Flight at Academy College
More details about Aviation Flight at Academy College
Finished
22%
Working at 6 months
41%
Earned in a quarter
$6,812
Length
120 weeks, 18 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
71
Earned a year, estimated
$27,200
Price if you pay yourself
$91,235
Program website, Aviation Flight at Academy College
Pilot (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Aviation Pilot
Rochester Community and Technical College
Rochester
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Rochester Community and Technical College, RochesterPilot (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$20,800
Price if you pay yourself$10,140
Program website, Aviation Pilot at Rochester Community and Technical College
More details about Aviation Pilot at Rochester Community and Technical College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
79%
Earned in a quarter
$5,202
Length
120 weeks, 50 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
68
Earned a year, estimated
$20,800
Price if you pay yourself
$10,140
Program website, Aviation Pilot at Rochester Community and Technical College

How to pay for flight school in Minnesota

WIOA funding can pay for flight school in Minnesota

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for flight school

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁷⁸

GI Bill for flight school

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁹

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Flight school in Minneapolis, Duluth, Rochester and other Minnesota cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in Minnesota

How flight school compares with the rest of transportation and logistics: Transportation and logistics training in Minnesota

Where the Minnesota pilot training program numbers come from

Which Minnesota pilot training programs are on this list?

These are the pilot training programs Minnesota approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).¹⁰ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Minnesota offers.

How the prices and results of Minnesota pilot training programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about flight school in Minnesota

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