Fire Protection: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Fire Protection graduates earn a median $86,436 four years after finishing — $38,076/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 1.8 years. Federal data pools 51 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 1,319 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Fire Protection ranks #33 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 84% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | IL | $108,135 |
| 2 | Waldorf University | IA | $100,060 |
| 3 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | OK | $99,557 |
| 4 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | CO | $98,019 |
| 5 | Purdue University Global | IN | $97,967 |
| 6 | University of Florida | FL | $97,839 |
| 7 | University of Florida-Online | FL | $97,839 |
| 8 | Columbia Southern University | AL | $88,735 |
| 9 | American Public University System | WV | $87,428 |
| 10 | Utah Valley University | UT | $83,807 |
| 11 | Eastern Kentucky University | KY | $80,497 |
| 12 | University of New Haven | CT | $79,199 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Fire Protection pay grow after graduation?
Median pay sits at $86,436 four years out against $86,740 at one year, so early-career growth in this field is flat on national medians. Progression here depends more on the specific role and employer than on time since graduation.
How many students graduate in Fire Protection each year?
About 1,319 bachelor's graduates a year across 51 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.