Aviation at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

What Aviation at Southern Illinois University Carbondale does

The SIU School of Aviation is an academic department within Southern Illinois University Carbondale, a public state university governed by the SIU Board of Trustees. The School operates comprehensive aviation education programs anchored at a dedicated training campus at 545 N. Airport Road in Murphysboro, Illinois, with the broader university headquartered in Carbondale. Its program portfolio spans three undergraduate majors — Aviation Flight (A.A.S.), Aviation Management (B.S.), and Aviation Technologies (B.S., available online) — together with a Master of Science in Aviation Management, specialized certificates (Restricted Air Transport Pilot, Airframe & Powerplant Maintenance, Airframe Maintenance), five undergraduate minors (including Airport Management and Planning, Air Traffic Control, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems), and the Flying Salukis competitive flight team. The Aviation Flight program holds accreditation from the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI), and the Flying Salukis have captured nine National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) national championships dating back to 1977 with nine straight top-3 finishes since 2011.

The School's underlying delivery infrastructure is its state-of-the-art flight training equipment and fleet, plus a dedicated regional-airport training footprint, which enables hands-on FAA certification preparation (including R-ATP, A&P) and competitive NIFA performance. Revenue mechanics are characteristic of a state-funded higher-education unit: tuition and fees for undergraduate and graduate enrollment, flight-training surcharges, and ancillary educational services, supplemented by state appropriations and philanthropic grants (notably a $50,000 donation from The Boeing Company in 2026 earmarked for student cost subsidization). Customer segments are individual prospective and current students — primarily those pursuing professional pilot, aviation management, and aircraft maintenance careers — with no disclosed enterprise or B2B customers.

Go-to-market is the standard university admissions motion: marketing and recruitment flow through the aviation.siu.edu web property, SIU's institutional admissions office, the university academic catalog, and an online distance-learning channel that extends the Aviation Technologies B.S. to non-residential learners. Distribution is domestic-only, with operating geographies reported as Illinois, USA, and no disclosed international recruitment footprint. The School has no app, API, SDK, or disclosed AI/ML capability — its product is fundamentally in-person flight and technical instruction rather than software.

Name

Aviation at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Legal name

Southern Illinois University School of Aviation

Website

https://aviation.siuc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The SIU School of Aviation is an AABI-accredited public university aviation program offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, FAA certification preparation, and the nationally competitive Flying Salukis flight team, serving prospective students pursuing professional pilot, aviation management, and aircraft maintenance careers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Carbondale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Educational Services: The School of Aviation generates revenue through undergraduate and graduate tuition for its aviation programs, including Aviation Flight, Aviation Management, and Aviation Technologies degrees. Additional revenue comes from program fees, flight training fees, and related educational services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The SIU School of Aviation delivers collegiate aviation education through undergraduate and graduate degree programs (Aviation Flight A.A.S., Aviation Management B.S. and M.S., Aviation Technologies B.S. with an online option), along with FAA-aligned certificate programs (Restricted Air Transport Pilot, Airframe & Powerplant Maintenance, Airframe Maintenance), aviation-related minors, and the Flying Salukis competitive flight team. Programs combine academic coursework with hands-on flight and technical training at dedicated facilities at the Southern Illinois Airport in Murphysboro, Illinois.

Product overview

SIU School of Aviation offers a comprehensive portfolio of aviation education programs spanning undergraduate and graduate degree levels. The core academic offerings include three undergraduate majors—Aviation Flight (A.A.S.), Aviation Management (B.S.), and Aviation Technologies (B.S.) with an online option—along with a graduate degree in Aviation Management (M.S.). Supporting these degree programs are specialized certificates (Airframe & Powerplant Maintenance, Airframe Maintenance), minors (Airport Management and Planning, Air Product Support, Air Traffic Control, Aircraft Product Support, Unmanned Aircraft Systems), and the Restricted Air Transport Pilot Certificate. The Flying Salukis competitive flight team and state-of-the-art facilities and fleet round out the program ecosystem. The institution holds AABI accreditation for its Aviation Flight program and has received Boeing's $50,000 donation for student subsidy support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flying Salukis: The Flying Salukis is part of the nationally recognized aviation program. The 15- to 18-member squad plays an important role in highlighting both the aviation program and the university's accomplishments. The team has nine National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) titles dating back to 1977.

Products and services

• Aviation Flight (A.A.S.)

Quantifiable outcome

• Flying Salukis achieved 9 NIFA national championships and 9 straight top-3 national finishes since 2011

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Purdue University — School of Aviation and Transportation Technology: Major public-university aviation program offering flight, management, and aerospace technology degrees with AABI accreditation. Highly comparable as a public-R1 university aviation school competing for similar students and employer relationships.
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: The largest aviation-focused university in the U.S., offering flight, management, engineering, and maintenance programs at the undergraduate and graduate level. Directly comparable in mission (aviation higher education), accreditation status (AABI), and degree portfolio.
• Bowling Green State University — Aviation Studies: Ohio-based public university aviation program offering flight and aviation management concentrations. Comparable as a regional public university aviation program with similar undergraduate profile.
• Florida Institute of Technology — College of Aeronautics: Private university with comprehensive flight, aviation management, and aeronautical science programs at multiple degree levels. Comparable in degree breadth and pilot-pipeline focus.
• Ohio State University — Center for Aviation Studies: Public Big Ten university aviation program offering flight, aviation management, and engineering pathways. Directly comparable as a state university aviation program with similar GTM via university admissions.
• Liberty University — School of Aeronautics: Large private university offering aviation degrees with strong online and residential options. Comparable in offering aviation management and flight programs targeting similar career-track students.
• University of North Dakota — John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences: Large public-university aviation and aerospace program offering flight, air traffic control, and aerospace operations degrees. Comparable in scope, FAA-aligned programs, and public-university cost positioning.
• Western Michigan University — College of Aviation: Public-university aviation college offering flight, maintenance, and management programs with its own airport facilities. Closely comparable in scale, geographic positioning, and on-airport training model.
• University of Central Missouri — Department of Aviation: Mid-sized public university aviation department offering flight, aviation management, and avionics programs. Comparable in regional positioning, AABI accreditation, and broad degree mix.

Emerging players

• Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology: Specialized aviation and engineering college in New York focused on aviation maintenance, aviation management, and pilot training. Comparable as a niche aviation-focused institution, though smaller and more specialized than SIU's broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aviation-at-southern-illinois-university-carbondale

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aviation at Southern Illinois University Carbondale