Best degree programs for Firefighters, ranked by enrollment
5 college programs and 384 schools train Firefighters. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $59,280 median wage, 345,990 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
5 college programs at 384 schools train firefighters, graduating 14,367 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Fire Science/Fire-fighting. The job pays a median of $59,280 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About firefighters
Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.
A firefighter is a first responder trained in public safety and emergency response such as firefighting, primarily to control and extinguish fires and respond to emergencies such as hazardous material incidents, medical emergencies, road traffic collisions and other emergencies that threaten life, property and the environment, as well as to rescue persons from confinement or dangerous situations and preserve evidence.
Read more on Wikipedia →Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
5 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 43.0203 | 10,359 | 72.1% | 275 | $48,952 | $12,750 |
| 2 | CIP 43.0201 | 3,558 | 24.8% | 140 | $48,952 | $12,750 |
| 3 | CIP 03.0208 | 222 | 1.5% | 21 | $37,946 | $24,125 |
| 4 | CIP 43.0206 | 174 | 1.2% | 17 | $48,952 | $12,750 |
| 5 | CIP 43.0299 | 54 | 0.4% | 7 | $48,952 | $12,750 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What firefighters earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $85,120 | 31,470 | 0.78× | 59 | 3,771 |
| Florida | $58,550 | 24,570 | 1.11× | 33 | 2,488 |
| Texas | $60,180 | 28,170 | 0.90× | 30 | 1,756 |
| Ohio | $59,370 | 18,100 | 1.47× | 25 | 1,017 |
| Alabamalimited | $47,600 | 7,260 | 1.54× | 2 | 721 |
| Colorado | $74,170 | 6,510 | 1.02× | 10 | 568 |
| Illinois | $78,380 | 18,400 | 1.36× | 20 | 547 |
| Kentucky | $37,150 | 5,150 | 1.16× | 11 | 263 |
| North Carolina | $37,940 | 19,410 | 1.77× | 17 | 242 |
| Arizona | $59,280 | 7,500 | 1.04× | 11 | 222 |
| Kansas | $45,900 | 3,360 | 1.05× | 7 | 216 |
| Oklahoma | $49,710 | 4,150 | 1.09× | 8 | 197 |
| Wisconsin | $46,850 | 8,120 | 1.24× | 11 | 195 |
| Minnesota | $38,110 | 5,810 | 0.89× | 7 | 192 |
| Massachusetts | $72,800 | 11,940 | 1.48× | 10 | 189 |
| Indianamoderate | $62,780 | 8,530 | 1.20× | 3 | 154 |
| Michigan | $54,640 | 6,610 | 0.67× | 9 | 131 |
| Washington | $94,520 | 7,560 | 0.96× | 8 | 107 |
| Iowa | $55,810 | 2,170 | 0.63× | 6 | 106 |
| Tennesseemoderate | $49,300 | 7,020 | 0.96× | 3 | 106 |
| New Mexico | $41,590 | 2,420 | 1.25× | 7 | 94 |
| Utahmoderate | $48,310 | 2,870 | 0.74× | 4 | 94 |
| Georgia | $46,550 | 12,700 | 1.17× | 8 | 85 |
| Oregon | $70,900 | 3,790 | 0.87× | 10 | 83 |
| Maine | $48,290 | 2,480 | 1.74× | 6 | 71 |
| Nevadamoderate | $66,570 | 2,640 | 0.77× | 3 | 69 |
| Missouri | $49,080 | 6,580 | 1.01× | 5 | 64 |
| West Virginialimited | $37,350 | 900 | 0.58× | 2 | 62 |
| Arkansaslimited | $39,690 | 2,480 | 0.86× | 2 | 45 |
| Idahomoderate | $47,320 | 2,240 | 1.17× | 4 | 41 |
| Nebraskalimited | $61,040 | 1,070 | 0.47× | 1 | 40 |
| Virginiamoderate | $58,670 | 11,160 | 1.22× | 3 | 40 |
| New Jersey | $84,130 | 7,500 | 0.79× | 6 | 38 |
| New Yorkmoderate | $100,960 | 12,950 | 0.60× | 4 | 34 |
| Wyominglimited | $58,090 | 680 | 1.09× | 2 | 34 |
| Connecticutlimited | $77,630 | 2,970 | 0.79× | 2 | 33 |
| Mississippilimited | $35,880 | 2,920 | 1.13× | 1 | 25 |
| Alaskalimited | $58,830 | 1,040 | 1.43× | 2 | 24 |
| Louisianalimited | $33,120 | 5,230 | 1.22× | 2 | 24 |
| New Hampshirelimited | $56,620 | 2,700 | 1.77× | 1 | 23 |
| South Dakotalimited | $48,160 | 610 | 0.60× | 1 | 16 |
| Pennsylvaniamoderate | $73,460 | 5,020 | 0.37× | 4 | 14 |
| Montanalimited | $59,310 | 1,010 | 0.89× | 2 | 10 |
| Marylandmoderate | $73,810 | 5,340 | 0.87× | 3 | 9 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $67,380 | 1,620 | 1.46× | 1 | 8 |
| North Dakotalimited | $55,080 | 820 | 0.86× | 2 | 3 |
| South Carolinalimited | $42,570 | 7,780 | 1.52× | 2 | 2 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
- Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
- Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.
- Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
- Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.
- Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance, using axes, chisels, crowbars, electric saws, or core cutters.
- Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
- Inspect fire sites after flames have been extinguished to ensure that there is no further danger.
Skills
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Active Listening3.5
- Active Learning3.5
- Monitoring3.5
- Speaking3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Writing2.9
- Learning Strategies2.9
Knowledge areas
- Public Safety and Security4.5
- Customer and Personal Service4.2
- Education and Training4.1
- Building and Construction4.0
- English Language3.9
- Mechanical3.8
Abilities
- Problem Sensitivity4.1
- Oral Comprehension3.9
- Oral Expression3.8
- Deductive Reasoning3.8
- Far Vision3.8
- Arm-Hand Steadiness3.8
Core activities
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.5
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.5
- Assisting and Caring for Others4.5
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.4
- Performing General Physical Activities4.3
- Getting Information4.2
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Firefighter
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 5 majors mapped to Firefighters5 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 03.0208Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- 43.0201Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician
- 43.0203Fire Science/Fire-fighting
- 43.0206Wildland/Forest Firefighting and Investigation
- 43.0299Fire Protection, Other
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Firefighter?+
Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Fire Science/Fire-fighting, which awarded 10,359 degrees in 2024-25, 72.1% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Firefighter?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 5 programs to this occupation. The largest are Fire Protection, Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy. Together they graduate about 14,367 people a year.
How much do firefighters earn?+
The median is $59,280 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $34,910 at the 10th percentile to $101,040 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for firefighters growing?+
BLS projects a +3.4% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 27,100 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
384 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 5 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do firefighters work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Firefighter, Fire Engineer, Wildland Firefighter, Fire Equipment Operator among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 33-2011.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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