College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Fire Science Degree Guide

Rapid Growth in Fire Science Degrees Awarded

#266 Most Popular Major
8.1k Degrees Awarded
4.6% Increase in Graduates

Fire Science was the 266th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 8,102 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 4.6% increase in fire science degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 7,726.

This year's Best Fire Science Schools ranking compares 87 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom fire science rankings further below.

2023 Best Colleges for Fire Science
2023 Overall Best Fire Science Colleges >

Best Fire Science Schools by Degree

Associate Degrees in Fire Science
Bachelor's Degrees in Fire Science
Master's Degrees in Fire Science

What Are The Requirements For a Degree in Fire Science

When studying Fire Science, you’ll learn that using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs. Required skills include giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times and talking to others to convey information effectively.

Getting Accepted Into a Fire Science Program

fire science degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. In addition to these basic fire science program qualifications, to serve in some fire science careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.

Types of Fire Science Degrees

There are various different levels of fire science degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in fire science to something that takes less time like a . How long it takes to complete some common fire science degree levels is shown below.

Degree Credit Requirements Typical Program Length
Associate Degree 60-70 credits 2 years
Bachelor’s Degree 120 credits 4 years
Master’s Degree 50-70 credits 1-3 years
Doctorate Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation At least 4 years

An associate degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to fire science, with approximately 16.6% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for fire science workers below.

Level of Education Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma 29.7%
Post-Secondary Certificate 21.8%
Some College Courses 20.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 15.9%
Bachelor’s Degree 6.5%

The chart below shows what degree level those who work in fire science have obtained.

undefined

This of course varies depending on which fire science career you choose.

Career Opportunities for A Degree In Fire Science Graduate

Average Number of Jobs
61.8k Avg. Related Jobs Salary
7% Growth Job Outlook 2016-26

Growth Projected for Fire Science Careers

Want a job when you graduate with your fire science degree? Fire Science careers are expected to grow 7.3% between 2016 and 2026.

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to fire science.

Occupation Name Projected Jobs Expected Growth
Firefighters 350,900 7.2%
Fire Fighting Supervisors 63,300 7.1%
Fire Inspectors 13,200 7.3%
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists 2,200 29.4%

How Much Money Do People With a Fire Science Degree Make?

As you might expect, salaries for fire science graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

High Paying Careers for Fire Science Majors

Salaries for fire science graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers fire science grads often go into.

Occupation Name Median Average Salary
Fire Fighting Supervisors $80,310
Fire Inspectors $64,140
Firefighters $53,240
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists $49,610

Getting Your Fire Science Degree

With over 573 different fire science degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased fire science school rankings to help you with this.

One of 6 majors within the Fire Protection area of study, Fire Science has other similar majors worth exploring.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/Technician 3,891
Fire Services Administration 1,450
Other Fire Protection 126
Wildl&/Forest Firefighting & Investigation 90
Fire Systems Technology 61

View All Fire Science Related Majors >

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options