Rochester Community and Technical College
Two-year aviation degree at Rochester International Airport.
Costs checkedChecked November 13, 2026 by Samip Shah, CFI, CFII, AGI
At a glance
- An associate's degree with flight training, at a public college.
- Graduates can reach the airline minimum at 1,250 hours instead of 1,500.
- 2 years all-in: $131,067.
Basics
| Degree | Associate's (AAS), two years |
|---|---|
| School | Public |
| Airline minimum | 1,250 hours (restricted ATP) |
| Location | Rochester, MN |
What it costs
Tuition and room & board for 2 years, plus the whole program's flight fees, which are billed on top of tuition. Tuition changes yearly.
- Tuition (in-state)
- $13,944
- $6,972/yr × 22026-27Source
- Tuition and fees on RCTC's 2026-27 cost of attendance. RCTC charges Minnesota and out-of-state students the same rate per credit.
- Room & board
- $18,000
- $9,000/yr × 22026-27Source
- The housing and food allowance in RCTC's cost of attendance.
- Flight training (whole program)
- $99,123
- 2025-26Source
- The lab fees on RCTC's own 2025-26 estimate by semester: Private I $7,965, Private II $11,960, Instrument I and II $16,935, Commercial I $22,451.30, and Commercial II with the multi-engine lab $39,811.70. The fees are all-inclusive, fuel included, for a student who finishes in the average time; extra flight time is charged. RCTC's own program total with tuition and books is $114,198.70. The optional flight instructor certificate is not in this figure.
- All-in
- $131,067
Airport
Aerial imagery: USDA NAIP imagery via the USGS National Map
Weather
What counts as a flyable day
Clouds no lower than 3,000 feet and visibility of 5 miles or more (VFR weather) for at least half the hours between 9 am and 5 pm. Hourly observations from the airport's own weather station, 2016 to 2025. Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet ASOS archive, Iowa State University.
Paying for it
Two ways to cover $131,067.
Win what you can first, then borrow only what is left.
- Money you keepScholarships you could apply for43 open to anyone, plus 2 in Minnesota. Top awards reach $22,200.
- Minnesota Pilots Association Aviation Scholarships$3,000 · Open · closes in 139 days
- MNYAF Private Pilot Certificate Program ScholarshipAmount varies · Southern Minnesota · Check dates
- 45
- Money you pay backLenders that cover $131,067Four of the six lenders in our comparison lend this much. That is whether a loan this size is on offer, not whether you would be approved.
- 4 of 6
In the app
Track your flight training at RCTC.
Enter the aircraft and instructor rates from Rochester Community and Technical College's flight program when you set up PilotBound, and the app tracks every flight you log against the projection, rating by rating.
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Questions
How much does an aviation degree at Rochester Community and Technical College cost?
Summing Rochester Community and Technical College's own published tuition, room and board, and flight fees over 2 years, PilotBound estimates about $131,067 all in. That is a sum of the school's published figures, not the school's own quoted package price, and flight fees are billed pay-as-you-go on top of tuition rather than as a fixed bill.
How much are flight fees at Rochester Community and Technical College?
Rochester Community and Technical College publishes about $99,123 for the whole flight sequence its 2-year associate's degree trains (2025-26), separate from and on top of tuition. Flight fees move with your pace and the hours you actually fly, which is why they are the least predictable line in a collegiate aviation budget.
What is tuition at Rochester Community and Technical College?
Rochester Community and Technical College publishes about $6,972 per year in tuition for 2026-27. Over the 2-year program that is roughly $13,944, before room and board and before any flight fees.
Does an aviation degree from Rochester Community and Technical College lower the airline hour requirement?
Yes. Rochester Community and Technical College's 2-year associate's aviation degree is a qualifying degree under 14 CFR 61.160, which lets you hold a restricted ATP at 1,250 hours instead of the standard 1,500. That is the concrete thing the degree buys beyond the credential itself, and it is worth weighing against the tuition and room and board a non-degree path does not carry.
Sources
Tuition, room & board and flight fees are Rochester Community and Technical College's own published figures, summed by PilotBound. Flight fees are pay-as-you-go and vary with a student's pace. The 1,250-hour airline minimum comes from a qualifying degree under 14 CFR 61.160. PilotBound is not affiliated with Rochester Community and Technical College. Disclaimer & removal policy.
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