what degree should someone who wants to be a pilot take
Just because an airline does not require a degree, doesn't mean that they are going to consider you on equal footing as a degreed pilot. For example, American Airlines doesn't have a requirement for a four-year degree however, the average new-hire pilot has at least a bachelors degree (according to Air Inc). At least having a bachelor's degree means that some applicants that were hired have advanced degrees like masters, doctorates, etc.