2026 Best Value Fire Science Schools in Kentucky
[Fire Science](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/fire-protection/fire-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for fire science students.
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2026 Best Value Fire Science Schools in Kentucky
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the fire science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Fire Science Schools
Leading the list is Madisonville Community College, our #1 best value for fire science in Kentucky. Set in the town of Madisonville, Madisonville Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,728, compared with $6,432 for out-of-state students. Fire Science graduates carry a median of $10,985 in student loans. Fire Science graduates of Madisonville Community College earn a median of $41,084 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Gateway Community And Technical College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value fire science schools. Gateway Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Florence. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,728, while out-of-state students pay about $6,432. Fire Science graduates carry a median of $11,611 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fire science degree recipients from Gateway Community And Technical College generally make around $46,993. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Bluegrass Community And Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fire science, landing the #3 spot this year. Bluegrass Community And Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Lexington. In-state tuition and fees average $4,808, with out-of-state students paying around $6,512. Typical student debt for fire science graduates is $13,366. Soon after graduation, fire science degree recipients from Bluegrass Community And Technical College generally make around $44,431. That is a strong return on a $13,366 median debt.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
