How a Tiny Trade School's Grads Are Out-earning Prestigious Universities in 2018 and What's Ahead for 2019 for Career Opportunities
A recent Pittsburgh Business Times comparison of financial earnings by graduates of Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities revealed something surprising. While you may expect Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne to top the graduate earnings list for the Southwest Pennsylvania region (and they do), the third-highest median salaries aren’t being earned by graduates of Pitt, Point Park, or Robert Morris. Instead, that honor goes to the graduates of a tech school: The Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA), whose graduates earn a median $57,200 ten years after admission, according to the federal College Scorecard.
Other financial experts have also noticed PIA’s impressive return on investment for its graduates, with Forbes ranking PIA the #1 two-year trade school in the entire U.S.
So: how is a small trade school with fewer than 500 students outperforming major colleges and universities, leading statewide ROI lists, and topping national skills gap assessments, despite being located in one of the most competitive higher education regions in the country?
Contact Carrie Butler at 412-897-6177 to schedule an interview with PIA President & CEO Suzanne Markle to learn more about how her amazing faculty, her trusted partnerships with national employers, and her winning approach to recruiting, training, and placing graduates in rewarding careers has helped the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics become the top trade school in the country, and what that means in terms of career opportunities for what’s become the most high-demand skill sets in the world.
About Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics With roots tracing to legendary pilots Glenn Curtiss and Orville Wright in 1927 as Curtiss-Wright Flying Service, the school was later established as Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in 1929. PIA offers “hands-on” training for traditional and non- traditional students in Aviation Maintenance and Aviation Electronics. The instructional staff combine real-world experience with classroom instruction for an outstanding education, and the Career Services Department works one-on-one with students to reach their employment goals. PIA is often the first stop for many employers looking for quality employees, with many students being offered their first aeronautics jobs even before they graduate. PIA offers an Associate in Specialized Technology Degree at its West Mifflin, PA location and Diploma programs in Youngstown, OH, Hagerstown, MD, and Myrtle Beach, SC. There is open enrollment through the year, accompanied with admissions requirements. For more information, please call 1-800-444-1440 or visit www.pia.edu.
