Fire Science & Protection programs: earnings, debt and schools by state
760 certificate and associate-degree programs at 470 U.S. schools teach firefighters, fire inspectors and fire-protection specialists. Federal data shows what past graduates earned and borrowed. Fire Protection programs (CIP 43.02) include fire science, fire-protection technology and fire-prevention programs.
Best-paying fire science programs (one year after completion)
Ranked by the median earnings of completers working and not enrolled, among programs with at least 10 earners reported. High earnings can reflect local labor markets and who enrolls, so compare debt and completion too.
| School | City | Program | Credential | Completers/yr | 1-yr earnings | Median debt | Monthly payment* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Shore Community College | Danvers, MA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 29 | $90,849 | $11,000 | $125 |
| Columbia Southern University | Orange Beach, AL | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 432 | $86,739 | $10,058 | $114 |
| Waldorf University | Forest City, IA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 23 | $78,411 | – | – |
| Utah Valley University | Orem, UT | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 116 | $78,096 | $10,808 | $123 |
| Purdue University Global | West Lafayette, IN | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 31 | $71,279 | $22,970 | $261 |
| Del Mar College | Corpus Christi, TX | Fire Protection | Certificate | 23 | $70,345 | – | – |
| Pikes Peak State College | Colorado Springs, CO | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 29 | $69,030 | – | – |
| Shasta College | Redding, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 198 | $62,997 | – | – |
| American Public University System | Charles Town, WV | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 63 | $62,638 | $8,100 | $92 |
| Oakland Community College | Auburn Hills, MI | Fire Protection | Certificate | 78 | $61,399 | $7,592 | $86 |
| Austin Community College District | Austin, TX | Fire Protection | Certificate | 37 | $60,536 | $6,696 | $76 |
| Aims Community College | Greeley, CO | Fire Protection | Certificate | 44 | $60,132 | $6,500 | $74 |
| Pima Community College | Tucson, AZ | Fire Protection | Certificate | 44 | $57,746 | – | – |
| Lakes Region Community College | Laconia, NH | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 9 | $57,408 | – | – |
| Ivy Tech Community College | Indianapolis, IN | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 33 | $56,579 | – | – |
*Scorecard's estimated monthly payment on the median debt over 10 years. “Not reported” means the Department suppressed or did not publish the figure.
Compare schools near you
Use the data on this page to shortlist two or three schools, then contact them directly with the links provided. Ask each school the questions listed on the page.
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Fire Science programs by state
| State | Programs | Schools | Median 1-yr earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4 | 2 | $86,739 | $10,058 |
| Alaska | 3 | 2 | not reported | – |
| Arizona | 27 | 14 | $57,746 | – |
| Arkansas | 6 | 3 | not reported | – |
| California | 119 | 63 | $53,012 | $11,212 |
| Colorado | 17 | 9 | $64,581 | $10,397 |
| Connecticut | 4 | 2 | not reported | – |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 1 | not reported | – |
| Florida | 53 | 37 | $49,684 | $11,500 |
| Georgia | 30 | 16 | $51,403 | – |
| Hawaii | 4 | 2 | $41,414 | – |
| Idaho | 10 | 7 | not reported | – |
| Illinois | 41 | 23 | $53,930 | $13,400 |
| Indiana | 5 | 3 | $56,579 | $22,970 |
| Iowa | 9 | 6 | $78,411 | – |
| Kansas | 15 | 9 | $50,695 | $9,500 |
| Kentucky | 25 | 14 | $39,123 | – |
| Louisiana | 6 | 3 | not reported | – |
| Maine | 4 | 2 | not reported | – |
| Maryland | 9 | 8 | not reported | – |
| Massachusetts | 16 | 12 | $90,849 | $11,000 |
| Michigan | 20 | 12 | $61,399 | $6,546 |
| Minnesota | 12 | 7 | not reported | – |
| Mississippi | 2 | 1 | not reported | – |
| Missouri | 12 | 8 | not reported | – |
| Montana | 3 | 2 | not reported | – |
| Nebraska | 3 | 2 | not reported | – |
| Nevada | 5 | 3 | $43,081 | – |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 1 | $57,408 | – |
| New Jersey | 15 | 11 | not reported | – |
| New Mexico | 18 | 11 | not reported | – |
| New York | 16 | 12 | not reported | – |
| North Carolina | 41 | 22 | not reported | – |
| North Dakota | 2 | 2 | not reported | – |
| Ohio | 37 | 30 | $46,248 | $9,308 |
| Oklahoma | 10 | 9 | $41,606 | – |
| Oregon | 16 | 10 | not reported | – |
| Pennsylvania | 14 | 8 | not reported | – |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 1 | not reported | – |
| South Carolina | 1 | 1 | not reported | – |
| Tennessee | 4 | 3 | not reported | – |
| Texas | 56 | 31 | $49,616 | $6,098 |
| Utah | 5 | 4 | $78,096 | $10,808 |
| Vermont | 1 | 1 | not reported | – |
| Virginia | 12 | 9 | not reported | – |
| Washington | 19 | 14 | $45,744 | – |
| West Virginia | 2 | 1 | $62,638 | $8,100 |
| Wisconsin | 19 | 13 | not reported | $9,250 |
| Wyoming | 4 | 3 | not reported | – |
States with fewer than three programs have no detail page.
What to know before you enroll
Firefighters usually pass a department's own academy and exams; a degree or certificate can help promotion and inspector roles but rarely guarantees hiring.
Questions to ask every school
- Does the program include a recognized fire academy or EMT certification?
- How do local departments view the credential?
- What is the cost compared with department-paid academies?
For national pay and job outlook, see the Bureau of Labor Statistics profile: Firefighters.
Frequently asked questions
How much do fire science graduates earn?
Among 45 fire science programs that report earnings, the median first-year figure is $52,616 for certificate programs ($51,403) and $56,994 for associate programs. These are medians of past graduates and vary by state and employer.
How much debt do fire science students take on?
The median federal loan debt among borrowers across programs reporting it is $9,500. Many students in short programs borrow nothing; the figure only covers borrowers.
Is the data current?
It comes from the College Scorecard release dated October 15, 2026. The Department updates it annually and each figure describes graduates from earlier years.
Can I trust a school's own job-placement claims?
Treat them as a starting point. Ask for the placement rate definition, the number of graduates counted and the time window, then compare with the federal earnings above.
Related programs
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study and Institution files (release dated 10/15/2026). Earnings are median annual earnings of completers working and not enrolled one year after finishing; debt is median federal loan debt of borrowers; both describe past cohorts and small programs are suppressed by the Department. See our methodology.