2026 Best Value Fire Services Administration Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Fire Services Administration](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/fire-protection/fire-services-administration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools to find the best return on investment for fire services administration students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Fire Services Administration Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the fire services administration degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Fire Services Administration Schools
Lincoln Land Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value fire services administration schools in the Great Lakes Region. Lincoln Land Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Springfield. In-state tuition and fees average $3,744, compared with $10,464 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire services administration graduates is $11,272. Early-career fire services administration graduates make about $43,834. That is a strong return on a $11,272 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in fire services administration will find it at Waubonsee Community College, which ranked #2. Set in the rural area of Sugar Grove, Waubonsee Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,504 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,464 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire services administration graduates is $9,939. Early-career fire services administration graduates make about $39,659. Set against $9,939 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Sinclair Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value fire services administration schools. Sinclair Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Dayton. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,675, compared with $8,556 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire services administration graduates is $10,950. Fire Services Administration graduates of Sinclair Community College earn a median of $35,348 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #4 makes Ivy Tech Community College one of the best values for fire services administration. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,154, compared with $9,935 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,889 to complete the fire services administration program here. Early-career fire services administration graduates make about $40,734. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #5 makes Southwestern Illinois College one of the best values for fire services administration. Set in the suburb of Belleville, Southwestern Illinois College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,230, with out-of-state students paying around $6,720. Typical student debt for fire services administration graduates is $12,750. Soon after graduation, fire services administration degree recipients from Southwestern Illinois College generally make around $77,935. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Western Illinois University placed #6 among the best values for fire services administration. Located in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,572. Students borrow a median of $22,723 to complete the fire services administration program here. Early-career fire services administration graduates make about $41,432. That is a strong return on a $22,723 median debt. Western Illinois University admits about 71% of applicants.
Purdue University Global came in at #7 for value in fire services administration this year. Set in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Global is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,101, compared with $14,412 for out-of-state students. Fire Services Administration graduates carry a median of $25,440 in student loans. Early-career fire services administration graduates make about $72,687. That is a strong return on a $25,440 median debt.
University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value fire services administration schools. Set in the city of Oshkosh, University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,532, with out-of-state students paying around $16,446. Typical student debt for fire services administration graduates is $24,619. Fire Services Administration graduates of University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh earn a median of $50,590 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,619 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #9 spot for fire services administration value this year. Set in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,334. Typical student debt for fire services administration graduates is $17,725. Soon after graduation, fire services administration degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Carbondale generally make around $104,017. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Bowling Green State University Main Campus came in at #10 for value in fire services administration this year. Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the town of Bowling Green. In-state tuition and fees average $13,912, while out-of-state students pay about $21,900. Fire Services Administration graduates carry a median of $25,449 in student loans. Fire Services Administration graduates of Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn a median of $45,196 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,449 median debt. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value fire services administration schools. Set in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,363, compared with $28,697 for out-of-state students. Fire Services Administration graduates carry a median of $23,530 in student loans. Early-career fire services administration graduates make about $58,659. Set against $23,530 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
