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Flight school in Florida

3 pilot training programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

3 schools offer these pilot training programs, and Florida has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Commercial pilots fly and navigate airplanes, helicopters and other aircraft. They usually need flight training, at one of the hundreds of FAA-certified flight schools or as part of a two- or four-year aviation degree, and must meet FAA requirements; airline pilots usually also need a bachelor's degree and experience as a commercial or military pilot.1 For the FAA commercial pilot certificate you must be at least 18, read, speak and understand English, hold a private pilot certificate, log the required flight time (generally at least 250 hours in an airplane or 150 in a helicopter) and pass a knowledge test and a practical test. Drone pilots who fly for work need the FAA's remote pilot certificate instead: at least 16 and a passed knowledge test.2

In Florida, 1 of the 3 programs takes students without a high school diploma, 1 asks for a diploma or equivalent and 1 asks for an associate degree.

By kind, the 3 programs here are commercial pilot or professional pilot program (1 program), airline transport pilot (ATP) or type rating course (1 program) and pilot (associate degree, 1 program).

See the 3 programs

How much does flight school cost in Florida?

$7,000 to $14,457

is what the 3 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not reported
None of the 3 programs report it
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
None of the 3 programs report it
Length
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Florida may also offer flight school. How these figures are made

Is there free flight school in Florida?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 3 pilot training programs in Florida approved for WIOA funding

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3 programs

  • Commercial pilot or professional pilot programHybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Airline & Commercial Pilot (CSEL and/or CMEL)

    Paragon Flight Training Co.

    Fort Myers

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Paragon Flight Training Co., Fort MyersCommercial pilot or professional pilot programHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$14,457

    10 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Airline & Commercial Pilot (CSEL and/or CMEL) at Paragon Flight Training Co.
    More details about Airline & Commercial Pilot (CSEL and/or CMEL) at Paragon Flight Training Co.
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    16 weeks, 11 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $999
    Students counted
    114
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $14,457
    students trained with WIOA funding
    10
    Program website, Airline & Commercial Pilot (CSEL and/or CMEL) at Paragon Flight Training Co.

  • Airline transport pilot (ATP) or type rating courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Airbus 320 Initial Fast Track Type Rating

    AeroStar Training Services, LLC - CSCF

    Kissimmee

    No diploma needed

    AeroStar Training Services, LLC - CSCF, KissimmeeAirline transport pilot (ATP) or type rating courseIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$7,000
    More details about Airbus 320 Initial Fast Track Type Rating at AeroStar Training Services, LLC - CSCF
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    5 weeks, 29 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $7,000

  • Pilot (associate degree)HybridAssociate's degree

    Professional Pilot Science

    Polk State College-Cs

    Winter Haven

    Accredited school

    Associate's degree

    Polk State College-Cs, Winter HavenPilot (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · Associate's degree

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$7,182
    Program website, Professional Pilot Science at Polk State College-Cs
    More details about Professional Pilot Science at Polk State College-Cs
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    64 weeks, 50 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $39,400
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $7,182
    Program website, Professional Pilot Science at Polk State College-Cs

How to pay for flight school in Florida

WIOA funding can pay for flight school in Florida

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for flight school

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.78

GI Bill for flight school

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.9

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Flight school in Cape Coral, Orlando, Lakeland and other Florida cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in Florida

How flight school compares with the rest of transportation and logistics: Transportation and logistics training in Florida

Where the Florida pilot training program numbers come from

Which Florida pilot training programs are on this list?

These are the pilot training programs Florida approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).10 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Florida offers.

How the prices and results of Florida pilot training programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about flight school in Florida

Show the 10 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Airline and Commercial Pilots
  2. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: 14 CFR part 61, subpart F (commercial pilots) and part 107, subpart C (remote pilots)
  3. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  4. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  5. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  6. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  8. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  9. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  10. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List