Fire Protection
Offered at 615 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 277 | $51,403 | $65,326 | $7,921 |
| Associate | 292 | $56,993 | $75,068 | $10,808 |
| Bachelor's | 36 | $70,923 | $86,598 | $15,799 |
| Master's | 8 | — | — | — |
| Doctoral | 1 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 1 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $51,403, versus $70,923 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Ana College | CA | $52,616 | $94,657 | $15,924 |
| 2 | Miami Dade College | FL | — | $86,221 | $17,500 |
| 3 | Red Rocks Community College | CO | — | $81,585 | $10,397 |
| 4 | McHenry County College | IL | — | $81,013 | — |
| 5 | Aims Community College | CO | $60,132 | $79,825 | $6,500 |
| 6 | Palm Beach State College | FL | — | $78,950 | $15,750 |
| 7 | Collin County Community College District | TX | — | $78,695 | — |
| 8 | Tarrant County College District | TX | — | $78,066 | — |
| 9 | Southwestern Illinois College | IL | — | $76,681 | $15,300 |
| 10 | North Central Texas College | TX | $54,553 | $75,893 | $5,500 |
| 11 | Del Mar College | TX | $70,345 | $75,413 | — |
| 12 | Florida SouthWestern State College | FL | — | $74,007 | — |
| 13 | Butte College | CA | $53,409 | $73,194 | $6,500 |
| 14 | Hillsborough College | FL | $50,706 | $72,462 | $12,000 |
| 15 | Sinclair Community College | OH | — | $71,291 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mt San Antonio College | CA | $46,120 | $107,886 | — |
| 2 | North Shore Community College | MA | $90,849 | $96,496 | $11,000 |
| 3 | Waldorf University | IA | $78,411 | $94,161 | — |
| 4 | Red Rocks Community College | CO | — | $93,895 | — |
| 5 | Santa Ana College | CA | — | $91,661 | — |
| 6 | Purdue University Global | IN | $71,279 | $89,385 | $22,970 |
| 7 | Columbia Southern University | AL | $86,739 | $87,172 | $10,058 |
| 8 | Louisiana State University-Eunice | LA | — | $83,739 | — |
| 9 | Utah Valley University | UT | $78,096 | $82,454 | $10,808 |
| 10 | Southern Maine Community College | ME | — | $81,284 | — |
| 11 | Southwestern Illinois College | IL | — | $78,381 | — |
| 12 | Hawaii Community College | HI | — | $78,014 | — |
| 13 | Fox Valley Technical College | WI | — | $77,485 | $9,250 |
| 14 | Los Medanos College | CA | — | $76,611 | — |
| 15 | Blinn College District | TX | — | $75,374 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Oregon University | OR | $115,217 | — | $15,062 |
| 2 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | IL | $104,092 | $114,816 | $17,188 |
| 3 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | OK | $73,343 | $104,699 | $22,493 |
| 4 | University of Florida | FL | $82,625 | $102,205 | $13,111 |
| 5 | University of Florida-Online | FL | $82,625 | $102,205 | $13,111 |
| 6 | Waldorf University | IA | $104,691 | $98,194 | $14,806 |
| 7 | Columbia Southern University | AL | $93,578 | $93,980 | $14,907 |
| 8 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | OH | $93,820 | — | — |
| 9 | Purdue University Global | IN | $75,238 | $90,568 | $29,008 |
| 10 | Utah Valley University | UT | $67,977 | $87,676 | $16,536 |
| 11 | American Public University System | WV | $67,279 | $85,521 | $9,700 |
| 12 | University of New Haven | CT | $59,234 | $82,721 | $26,000 |
| 13 | Eastern Kentucky University | KY | $62,905 | $81,610 | $26,078 |
| 14 | Liberty University | VA | $79,958 | — | $24,591 |
| 15 | Western Illinois University | IL | $50,432 | $77,733 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purdue University Global | IN | $71,275 | $69,072 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do fire protection graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in fire protection reports median earnings of $70,923. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
