Best colleges for Fire Protection in Florida
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Florida, St Petersburg College and Northwest Florida State College are the top Fire Protection programs in Florida by graduate earnings. University of Florida leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $86,740, College Scorecard. Miami Dade College, Seminole State College of Florida and Valencia College award the most Fire Protection degrees and certificates in Florida: 250, 218 and 205 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 33 Florida colleges offer Fire Protection and award 2,488 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…
Top 10 institutions, 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.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida Gainesville Public · Bachelor's degree | $86,740 | 70 | 91% | — | $12,296 |
| 2 | St Petersburg College St. Petersburg Public · Certificate | $55,829 | 89 | 38% | — | $9,557 |
| 3 | Northwest Florida State College Niceville Public · Certificate | $52,856 | 26 | 39% | — | — |
| 4 | Hillsborough College Tampa Public · Certificate | $50,331 | 88 | 34% | — | $14,735 |
| 5 | Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville Public · Certificate | $49,810 | 146 | 37% | — | — |
| 6 | Indian River State College Fort Pierce Public · Certificate | $47,206 | 84 | 45% | — | $5,500 |
| 7 | Palm Beach State College Lake Worth Public · Certificate | $46,698 | 91 | 41% | — | $18,971 |
| 8 | Valencia College Orlando Public · Associate degree | $45,657 | 205 | 48% | — | $8,000 |
| 9 | Daytona State College Daytona Beach Public · Certificate | $42,696 | 79 | 43% | — | $6,945 |
| 10 | George Stone Technical College Pensacola Public · Certificate | $39,560 | 22 | 36% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Fire Protection degrees in Florida
Top 10 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.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami Dade College Miami Public | 250 | Not reported |
| 2 | Seminole State College of Florida Sanford Public | 218 | Not reported |
| 3 | Valencia College Orlando Public | 205 | $45,657 |
| 4 | Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville Public | 146 | $49,810 |
| 5 | First Coast Technical College Saint Augustine Public | 124 | Not reported |
| 6 | William T McFatter Technical College Davie Public | 114 | Not reported |
| 7 | Suncoast Technical College Sarasota Public | 100 | Not reported |
| 8 | Palm Beach State College Lake Worth Public | 91 | $46,698 |
| 9 | Florida SouthWestern State College Fort Myers Public | 89 | Not reported |
| 10 | St Petersburg College St. Petersburg Public | 89 | $55,829 |
ShowHide the other 23 Florida colleges offering Fire Protection
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Fire Inspectors and Investigators (SOC 33-2021).
Top skills
What Fire Inspectors and Investigators earn in Florida
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Fire Protection programs in Florida.
Which Florida colleges award the most Fire Protection degrees?+
Miami Dade College (250 graduates a year), Seminole State College of Florida (218 graduates a year) and Valencia College (205 graduates a year) award the most Fire Protection degrees and certificates in Florida, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 33 Florida colleges offer Fire Protection.
What is the best college for Fire Protection in Florida?+
By graduate earnings, University of Florida leads among Fire Protection programs in Florida, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $86,740, College Scorecard. St Petersburg College and Northwest Florida State College follow. By degrees awarded, Miami Dade College is the largest, with 250 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Fire Protection program in Florida has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Florida tops the list at $86,740. 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 Florida?+
The average annual wage for Fire Inspectors and Investigators in Florida is $78,440 (median $75,660), across about 1,060 jobs. 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.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card