Colorado · Fire Protection

Best colleges for Fire Protection in Colorado

Ranked by graduate earnings

Red Rocks Community College, Pueblo Community College and Aims Community College award the most Fire Protection degrees and certificates in Colorado: 210, 144 and 62 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 11 Colorado colleges offer Fire Protection and award 556 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Fire Protection program focuses on equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed in the field of homeland security, law enforcement, and firefighting. This program is ideal for individuals interested in preventing and…

Institutions
11
offering CIP 43.02
States offered
48
with a program page
Degrees / yr
556
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$44,470
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
—
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
38%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Fire Inspectors and Investigators
$91,210
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top institution, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Aims Community College
Greeley Public · Certificate
$44,4706240%—$9,750

Colleges awarding the most Fire Protection degrees in Colorado

Top 9 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Red Rocks Community College
Lakewood Public
210Not reported
2Pueblo Community College
Pueblo Public
144Not reported
3Aims Community College
Greeley Public
62$44,470
4Colorado Mesa University
Grand Junction Public
24Not reported
5Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver Public
16Not reported
6Northeastern Junior College
Sterling Public
14Not reported
7Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Fort Collins Public
9Not reported
8Community College of Aurora
Aurora Public
4Not reported
9Front Range Community College
Westminster Public
4Not reported
Show the other 2 Colorado colleges offering Fire Protection
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Colorado Mountain CollegeGlenwood SpringsPublic47
Pikes Peak State CollegeColorado SpringsPublic22

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Fire Inspectors and Investigators (SOC 33-2021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+3.8%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~1,500
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$78,060
typically Postsecondary nondegree award

Top skills

Active ListeningCritical ThinkingWritingSpeakingReading ComprehensionMonitoring

What Fire Inspectors and Investigators earn in Colorado

Jobs in Colorado
—
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$91,210
median $85,750
Best-paying metro
$93,040
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

Related careers

Firefighters
$78,380 avg · 6,510 jobs
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary
$69,730 avg · 2,060 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
$105,920 avg · 1,900 jobs
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
$57,220 avg · 210 jobs
Fire Inspectors and Investigators
$91,210

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Fire Protection programs in Colorado.

Which Colorado colleges award the most Fire Protection degrees?+

Red Rocks Community College (210 graduates a year), Pueblo Community College (144 graduates a year) and Aims Community College (62 graduates a year) award the most Fire Protection degrees and certificates in Colorado, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 11 Colorado colleges offer Fire Protection.

Which Fire Protection program in Colorado has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Aims Community College tops the list at $44,470. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Fire Inspectors and Investigators earn in Colorado?+

The average annual wage for Fire Inspectors and Investigators in Colorado is $91,210 (median $85,750). Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Fire Protection program?+

The Fire Protection program focuses on equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed in the field of homeland security, law enforcement, and firefighting. This program is ideal for individuals interested in preventing and…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, critical thinking, writing, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Fire Inspectors and Investigators?+

The national job outlook is about +3.8% growth with around 1,500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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