Georgia University
Middle Georgia State University
Georgia's public aviation university flies from Eastman with some of the lowest flight-degree costs in the Southeast.
Photos via Google Maps; they belong to their authors.
- Location
- Eastman, Georgia
- School Type
- University
- Training Focus
- Aviation degrees with R-ATP at accessible tuition
- Google Rating
- 4.7 (36 reviews)
Listing data is maintained editorially and confirmed with schools over time. Programs and pricing change; verify details directly before enrolling.
Hours
- Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
See It on the Map
What Students and Pilots Say
★★★★★ 6 months agoI have visited many, many flight schools & aviation universities. The program at Middle Georgia State University would be at the top of my recommendations list. If you are looking for top notch training at a reasonable cost, please check out this amazing school. I have also experienced, first-hand, the quality pilots who graduate from MGA.
Laurie Elliott via Google
★☆☆☆☆ 6 months agoMy daughter was looking forward to starting here but since the beginning of school they have messed everything up they possibly could. Advisors cant help their students- which is literally their job. They kept losing forms we already sent. The advisor told her she had to register for classes herself but she couldn't because they had a hold on her account again. So once AGAIN she got stuck with classes she really dont…
Christy Tanner via Google
★★★★★ 6 years agoIncredible campus! I had just taken a tour of the facilities/dorms, and was impressed with the professionalism shown. The atmosphere was said to prepare students for aeronautic lifestyles, and it definitely looked the part. Not to mention the city in general is not bad. The campus is about 3~4 minutes from town, where they almost have two of everything. I passed two Circle K gas stations on the same road, haha. If yo…
David Ross via Google
★★★★★ 10 years agoProbably one of the best kept secrets in the south. Any and everything aviation related is taught there. Air traffic control, aircraft maintenance, fixed wing and helicopter flight, and the list goes on... definitely worth the visit if a career in aviation is on your horizon!
Michael Newton via Google
Reviews via Google Maps; they belong to their authors and are not our endorsement.
Why Middle Georgia State University Stands Out
Middle Georgia State delivers the degree route at a price point that undercuts most of the R-ATP field, from a dedicated aviation campus at Eastman with university housing beside the ramp. The south Georgia setting means quiet airspace and a long flying season, maximum training efficiency, minimum congestion, while the state university system's tuition keeps total cost among the lowest of any accredited flight degree in the country. For budget-conscious students committed to the degree path, this program belongs on every shortlist.
Planning Your Training Here
Planning the degree route through Middle Georgia State University means thinking in semesters and hours together. University programs qualify graduates for the restricted ATP, an airline seat at 1,000 or 1,250 hours instead of 1,500, which typically shortens the instructing years by six months or more. Budget conversations should cover both tuition and flight fees, and federal financial aid often applies to both, a financing advantage academies can't offer. Ask admissions how flight-slot availability tracks enrollment, what the program's checkride pass rates run, and how graduates typically bridge from degree to airline minimums; strong university programs hire their own alumni as instructors, keeping the whole timeline under one roof.
What Flying in Georgia Teaches You
Georgia students train in the shadow of the world's busiest airport, which shapes the state's airspace culture: professional radio work, flow awareness, and comfort around heavy traffic. South Georgia adds quiet practice areas and mild winters that keep training on schedule.
How to Evaluate Middle Georgia State University on Your Tour
Every school on this directory gets the same advice from us, because the fundamentals don't move. Walk the ramp and count how many aircraft are down for maintenance. Ask how many lessons a week they can actually schedule you, and how far out the booking calendar runs. Ask for first-attempt checkride pass rates and how long students wait for an examiner. And keep your money in your control: pay as you fly, or in small blocks with clear refund terms.
Then weigh the location itself. Training in Eastman means building your early hours in Georgia weather and airspace, and both become part of your airmanship. Our school-selection guide covers the full vetting checklist, and the financing page maps scholarships and loans that apply at schools like this one.
Common Questions About Training at Middle Georgia State University
How long would my training take here?
Degree-program students train across roughly four academic years, sequencing certificates alongside coursework, and graduate eligible for the restricted ATP at 1,000 or 1,250 hours, which typically returns the time a degree adds. Ask how early in the program flying starts; programs that put students in airplanes freshman year finish stronger.
What will it cost, and can I get help paying?
Get Middle Georgia State University's current rates directly; published numbers age fast in this industry. Nationally, plan on $80,000 to $120,000 from zero time to commercial certificates before instructing pay starts offsetting costs, with university programs adding tuition but unlocking federal financial aid for both academics and flight fees. Our financing guide maps the loans, scholarships, and airline cadet programs that apply here, and several scholarship cycles go undersubscribed every single year.
How should I arrange a visit?
Call ahead and ask for a tour on a normal training day, not a quiet one. Use the directions button above to plan the drive to Eastman, arrive early enough to watch ramp operations, and bring the vetting checklist from this page. A school proud of its operation will show you everything; hesitation is itself an answer.
Get Matched
Considering Middle Georgia State University? Tell us your goal and timeline and we'll line this school up against comparable options near you, with the financing routes and scholarship deadlines that fit. One form, no spam, a real reply within a business day.
Compare Middle Georgia State University Against Your Other Options
Get a side-by-side shortlist matched to your budget, timeline, and zip code.