Bright outlook
Management
Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Complex Problem Solving
- Coordination
- Critical Thinking
ProgramsHomeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
Fire Protection
CIP43.02
387 colleges offer Fire Protection. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 387
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $80,497
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $22,896
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 323
- Associate's
- 387
- Bachelor's
- 43
- Master's
- 9
- Doctoral
- 1
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 5
What it covers
About Fire Protection
Fire Protection is part of Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services: instructional programs that focus on the principles and procedures for providing homeland security, police, fire, and other safety services and managing penal institutions. Note: this series is titled Security and Protective Services" in the Canadian CIP."
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 43.02.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 43.02.
- Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician
- Fire Services Administration
- Fire Science/Fire-fighting
- Fire Systems Technology
- Fire/Arson Investigation and Prevention
- Wildland/Forest Firefighting and Investigation
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 323 | $62,1764 yrs after · 31 colleges | $5,5001 college |
| Associate's | 387 | $71,5214 yrs after · 22 colleges | $9,8752 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 43 | $80,4974 yrs after · 15 colleges | $22,89610 colleges |
| Master's | 9 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 5 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Fire Protection graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Paxton, MA · Private nonprofit · 64 graduates
$110,044
debt $25,000
- 2
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL · Public · 21 graduates
$108,135
debt not reported
- 3
Forest City, IA · — · 51 graduates
$100,060
debt $20,251
- 4
Orem, UT · Public · 96 graduates
$83,807
debt $18,938
- 5
Richmond, KY · Public · 52 graduates
$80,497
debt $26,769
- 6
West Haven, CT · Private nonprofit · 19 graduates
$79,199
debt $25,500
- 7
Fayetteville, NC · Public · 33 graduates
$73,969
debt not reported
- 8
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
New York, NY · Public · 31 graduates
$72,228
debt not reported
- 9
Jersey City, NJ · Public · 16 graduates
$69,444
debt not reported
- 10
Macomb, IL · Public · 14 graduates
$68,753
debt not reported
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Fire Protection by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
- Bright outlook
Management
Compliance Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Bright outlook
Management
Loss Prevention Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Bright outlook
Management
Managers, All Other
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook
Management
Regulatory Affairs Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Writing
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Bright outlook
Management
Wind Energy Development Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Bright outlook
Management
Wind Energy Operations Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Protective service
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
- Median pay
- $93,530
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Postsecondary certificate
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Management of Personnel Resources
More in Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this areaQuestions about Fire Protection
How many colleges offer Fire Protection?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Fire Protection at these degree levels: certificate (323 colleges), associate's (387 colleges), bachelor's (43 colleges), master's (9 colleges), doctoral (1 college), graduate/professional certificate (5 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Fire Protection graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Fire Protection earn $80,497 a year four years after finishing, across 15 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Fire Protection graduates earn the most?
Anna Maria College reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Fire Protection: $110,044 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.