Keep the aviation industry running smoothly by supporting one of its most critical
pieces: the airport system. A bachelor’s degree in Airport Management from the University
of Central Missouri will launch you into a dynamic career where the sky is truly the
limit.
Airports are hubs for airline and government operations and demand highly skilled
leaders who can create safe, efficient systems. Careers in airport management include
overseeing compliance with federal and local regulations, personnel management, financial
policy-making and much more.
More than just a degree in airport management
The University of Central Missouri has been training aviation professionals for more
than 50 years. We offer a supportive, student-centered learning environment with faculty
focused on your success. Training at our own Skyhaven Airport, plus unique learning
opportunities made possible by our broad network of alumni and industry contacts,
will prepare you to excel in the field of airport management.
Make a positive contribution to any workforce as soon as you graduate with a bachelor’s
degree in Airport Management from the University of Central Missouri. Hone your critical
thinking and problem-solving skills with courses in airport management on our Warrensburg
campus. Apply your new skills through internships and work experience at our own Skyhaven
and other airports.
You’ll have the option to take courses in airport management that will prepare you
for the membership exam for the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE).
Qualifying for membership in this well-respected national trade organization signals
to your future employers that you bring top-flight knowledge, practical experience
and a focus on safety to the job.
Some of your courses in airport management may include:
Professional Ethics in Aviation: Learn about business ethics, employee responsibility, diversity and accessibility,
ground issues and security for airport management and environmental and health concerns.
Airport Planning and Design: Prepare for a number of careers in airport management with insight into airport planning
and development and normal operating procedures.
Aviation Safety: Understand the complex factors that affect airport management and overall aviation
safety, including methods that can reduce accidents both in flight and on the ground.
Excellence in Airport Management
A Most Focused College for Air Transportation in the Plains States Region (College Factual, 2022)
Top 10.5%: Most Popular Colleges for Aviation/Airway Management & Operations (College Factual,
2022)
Top 15%: Most Popular Colleges for Air Transportation (College Factual, 2022)
Among the 30 Best Affordable Aviation Management and Operations Degree Programs (Bachelor’s) (Affordable
Schools, 2020)
Unique learning opportunities in airport management
UCM’s hands-on approach to learning ensures you’ll graduate with practical experience
to back up your bachelor’s degree in Airport Management:
Internships: In addition to program courses, you’ll complete an internship to gain working knowledge
of the aviation industry. During your internship, experience what it’s like to be
line personnel who fuel and tow aircraft, maintenance personnel in the repair garage,
a dispatcher and more. UCM undergraduate students in Airport Management have interned
at bustling major airports nationwide, including Los Angeles, Houston, St. Louis and
Chicago.
Field trips on the ground: Closer to home, you’ll have the benefit of behind-the-scenes visits every semester
to airports within a day’s drive of the University of Central Missouri. Glimpse what’s
involved in daily airport management, from operating a control tower to handling baggage.
Student activities: At the Warrensburg campus, we encourage our Airport Management majors to get involved
with our vibrant, student-led aviation groups: American Association of Airport Executives,
Missouri Airport Managers Association, Women in Aviation International and Alpha Eta
Rho.
What can you do with a degree in Airport Management from UCM?
The University of Central Missouri’s bachelor’s degree in Airport Management will
qualify you for a number of jobs in aviation as soon as you graduate. You’ll also
be prepared for advanced study in the field:
Airport operations: Use your bachelor’s degree in Airport Management to ensure that an airport is meeting
FAA standards and operating safely.
Airport assistant manager: Duties vary for this fast-paced job, which may involve acquiring, maintaining and
staffing airport vehicles and equipment, working through lease agreements with airport
businesses and monitoring and budgeting airport operations.
Airport consultant: Provide airports services in planning, designing and construction of facilities and
infrastructure such as terminals, runways, and air traffic control towers.
Fixed-base operations (FBO): Your knowledge of airport management is a valuable asset in determining how best to
serve the airport as a client when you work for one of the entrepreneurial businesses
on site at an airport.
Government regulator: Work for a federal or local government agency or consultant to ensure safe airport
management.
More about careers in airport management
Use our interactive tool below to explore salaries and employment trends for careers
in airport management. Job candidates with a bachelor’s degree in Airport Management
from UCM are in strong demand in this growing, vibrant industry.
Financial assistance options for your degree in Airport Management
The University of Central Missouri strives to make a quality education affordable
to anyone. We have been nationally recognized for our commitment to low student debt
and offer many options to finance your degree in Airport Management from UCM. For more than 150 years, UCM’s priority has been to enroll and graduate
smart, capable students with great potential, regardless of their financial need.
Generous university-wide funding options, low tuition fees and strong job prospects
contribute to the excellent value of a bachelor’s degree in Airport Management from
UCM. As an Airport Management major, you may also be eligible for program-specific
funds, including:
A UCM degree in Airport Management is respected within the industry and priced to
remain affordable for our diverse applicants. We have been ranked alongside some of
the nation’s most competitive aviation programs in Affordable Schools’ “30 Best Affordable
Aviation Management and Operations Degree Programs (Bachelor’s) 2020.”
Enriching Field Opportunities
See how the country’s busiest airports operate
Courses in airport management give you valuable knowledge, but the only way to get
on-the-job experience is by working. Every semester, get exclusive tours of airports
like Chicago O’Hare to see how the industry truly functions, and earn invaluable experience
at a major airport during the internship required for UCM’s bachelor’s degree in Airport
Management.
Experienced Faculty
Learn from aviation professionals
The University of Central Missouri School of Aviation faculty share a history of flight
experience and a passion for the field, researching topics such as hazardous attitudes
for pilots, aviation finance and unmanned drones. Enter the professional world of
airport management with a nuanced understanding of the field, ready to tackle real-world
issues in the workplace.
Accelerate Your Degree
Earn your master’s to take off faster in your career
Earn both your bachelor’s degree in Airport Management and your master’s degree in
Aviation Safety in just five years. This accelerated degree program is unique to the
University of Central Missouri and is an ideal way to increase the jobs you qualify
for upon graduation.
Take your degree further.
Get fast-tracked for senior-level jobs and qualify for higher wages with a master’s
degree from UCM:
The overall systems planning and structure of airports.
Airport, airline and aviation industry finance.
Aviation safety and security needs.
Organizations and Opportunities
Founded in 1928, AAAE is the world's largest professional organization for airport
executives, representing thousands of airport management personnel at public-use commercial
and general aviation airports. AAAE's members represent some 850 airports and hundreds
of companies and organizations that support airports. AAAE serves its membership through
results-oriented representation in Washington, D.C. and delivers a wide range of industry
services and professional development opportunities including training, meetings and
conferences, and a highly respected accreditation program.
The AAAE Student Chapter at UCM is a student organization for those who are interested
in a future within the aviation industry. Membership of the AAAE UCM Student Chapter
is open to all current UCM students, regardless of major and without any discrimination.
The members of this chapter take part in airport tours, conferences, presentations
from industry professionals, and social events all of which focus on increasing each
student’s skills, knowledge, and networking within the aviation profession.
AAAE UCM Student Chapter members have the opportunity to attend the Annual AAAE Conference
and Exposition. Previous locations for the conference include Houston, TX, Long Beach,
CA, San Diego, CA, Boston, MA, and many others.
Every student within UCM’s Airport Management prepares to take AAAE’s Certified Member
exam before completion of the program. Becoming a Certified Member (C.M.) is a great
way to show future employers your dedication to your airport career. Students must
join AAAE as an Academic Graduate member of AAAE and enroll in the Certified Member
Program. The C.M. is a useful credential when seeking employment within the airport
management profession.
Candidates in the C.M. program obtain the designation by completing only one step
- a 180-question, multiple-choice examination. This multiple-choice exam is comprised
of information contained within the four Body of Knowledge modules, and measure a
candidate’s comprehensive knowledge of airport management. UCM will proctor this exam
at the end of the student’s senior year.
MAMA is an organization comprised of the public use airports in the state. The group
works toward the improvement of airports in the state through educational and networking
opportunities at twice-yearly conferences.
MAMA is a student organization that seeks to bridge the gap between those seeking
Airport Management degrees and those who are already Airport Managers within Missouri.
The members of this chapter take part in airport tours to gain a better understanding
of their day-to-day operations, conferences and presentations from industry professionals,
and social events all of which focus on increasing each student’s skills, knowledge,
and networking within the aviation profession.
MAMA UCM Student Chapter members have the opportunity to attend two separate conferences
each school year. The 4-States Airport Conference happens annually in downtown Kansas
City each fall. This conference is comprised of all aviation-interested groups in
the 4 state central region of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Airports representing
the 4 states, consultants, and other aviation related organizations have joined together
to keep apprised of aviation issues in the Central Region, as well as to cover education
topics at the fall conference. The second conference is the Annual Missouri Airport
Managers Association Conference that is held in Lake Ozark, MO each spring.
An internship experience is required for all Airport Management majors. Additional
information regarding internships opportunities and the related processes may be obtained
by contacting Dr. Matthew Furedy at furedy@ucmo.edu.
