Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Daytona Beach, FL · founded 1926 · 10,000 students · technical institute · Sunshine State Conference (NCAA Division II)

Known for: Embry-Riddle is the world's leading fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, offering comprehensive programs in engineering, flight training, and aviation business.

Rankings

U.S. News national: #226

Top programmes

Aerospace Engineering
Aviation Business Administration
Aeronautical Science (Flight Training)
Cybersecurity
Mechanical Engineering
Spaceflight Operations

Notable alumni

Kent Rominger — Former NASA astronaut and Space Shuttle commander
Brian Binnie — Test pilot for Scaled Composites, flying SpaceShipOne to win the Ansari X Prize
Michele Halleran — First female F-14 Tomcat pilot in the U.S. Navy
John R. Casper — Former NASA astronaut and Space Shuttle commander
Barry Schiff — Renowned aviation author and safety expert
Robert L. Gibson — Former NASA astronaut and Space Shuttle commander
Eileen Collins — First female Space Shuttle pilot and commander (attended but graduated from other institutions for degrees, but is closely associated)

Traditions

Eagle Flight Line (flight training tradition)
Homecoming and Wings & Waves Weekend
Aviation and Aerospace Career Expos
Space Day celebrations
Annual Open House and Air Show

If Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University were…

As a food: airline chicken dinner at 35,000 feet — Utilitarian, gets the job done, consumed in service of getting somewhere specific. ERAU isn't about the liberal arts experience—it's about logging hours, earning ratings, and launching a career in the sky.
As an athlete: Lewis Hamilton — Precision, speed, technical mastery, and operating expensive machinery at the edge of performance. ERAU students are training to pilot multi-million-dollar aircraft with the same focus Formula 1 drivers bring to every la
As a person alive today: Elon Musk — Obsessed with aerospace, willing to bet everything on making things fly, and building the future of space travel through sheer engineering will. ERAU students are the people who'll actually build his rockets.
As a historical figure: Amelia Earhart — Aviation pioneer who pushed boundaries and inspired generations to take to the skies. Embry-Riddle exists to create the next generation of Earharts—people who live to fly.
As a movie or TV show: Top Gun — Aviation obsession, technical precision, adrenaline, and the romance of flight. ERAU students watched Maverick and thought 'I can do that'—then actually learned how to do it.
As a US president: Dwight D. Eisenhower — Military precision, logistical mastery, focus on infrastructure and systems, and getting the job done without unnecessary flair. ERAU trains professionals, not philosophers.
As a city: Dubai — Aviation hub, built around airports and aerospace, obsessed with engineering and the future, and where everyone is either flying or building something that flies. ERAU is the academic version.
As an element: Aluminum — Lightweight, strong, corrosion-resistant, and literally what airplanes are made of. ERAU takes students and forges them into the material that makes flight possible—practical, essential, and built for the sky.
As a car: 1986 Grumman LLV (USPS Truck) — Embry-Riddle is pure function over form—an aviation-specific machine built for one purpose and doing it relentlessly well. Like the mail truck, it's utilitarian, hands-on, and beloved by those who appreciate engineering

Campus life

Campus life is heavily centered around aviation and aerospace, with a strong culture of clubs related to flying, engineering, and space. The social scene includes many industry-focused events, and the campus has a distinct 'aviation geek' vibe with its own airport.