2026 Best Value Fire Protection Schools in Oregon
[Fire Protection](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/fire-protection/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for fire protection students.
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2026 Best Value Fire Protection Schools in Oregon
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the fire protection degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Fire Protection Schools
Leading the list is Chemeketa Community College, our #1 best value for fire protection in Oregon. Set in the suburb of Salem, Chemeketa Community College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,345, with out-of-state students paying around $14,040. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $16,419. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Chemeketa Community College generally make around $45,440. Set against $16,419 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Portland Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value fire protection schools. Set in the city of Portland, Portland Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,220, while out-of-state students pay about $10,440. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $20,648 in student loans. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $49,580. Set against $20,648 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Central Oregon Community College one of the best values for fire protection. Central Oregon Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Bend. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,683, compared with $15,246 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $16,250. Fire Protection graduates of Central Oregon Community College earn a median of $52,183 early in their careers. Set against $16,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in fire protection will find it at Eastern Oregon University, which ranked #4. Set in the town of La Grande, Eastern Oregon University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,184 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $24,729. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the fire protection program here. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $58,911. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 98%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
