2027 Best Value Fire Protection Schools in Illinois
[Fire Protection](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/fire-protection/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong fire protection education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 16 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value fire protection schools.
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2027 Best Value Fire Protection Schools in Illinois
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
For return on investment in fire protection, no school beat Joliet Junior College this year. Joliet Junior College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Joliet. Students from in state pay about $4,530 in tuition and fees, compared with $13,800 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $11,995. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Joliet Junior College generally make around $40,118. Set against $11,995 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Moraine Valley Community College one of the best values for fire protection. Located in the suburb of Palos Hills, Moraine Valley Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,822, compared with $9,846 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,149 to complete the fire protection program here. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $43,844. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lewis And Clark Community College came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value fire protection schools. Set in the suburb of Godfrey, Lewis And Clark Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,340, compared with $7,840 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $9,602. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Lewis And Clark Community College generally make around $41,313. Set against $9,602 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in fire protection will find it at Lincoln Land Community College, which ranked #4. Located in the rural area of Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $3,744 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,464 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $11,272. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Lincoln Land Community College generally make around $43,834. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in fire protection will find it at Prairie State College, which ranked #5. Prairie State College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Chicago Heights. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,176, compared with $11,064 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,663 to complete the fire protection program here. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $37,500. Set against $15,663 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Elgin Community College landed the #6 spot for fire protection value this year. Located in the city of Elgin, Elgin Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,252, compared with $9,516 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $7,727. Fire Protection graduates of Elgin Community College earn a median of $43,975 early in their careers. Set against $7,727 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Mchenry County College placed #7 among the best values for fire protection. Mchenry County College is a large public school located in the rural area of Crystal Lake. In-state tuition and fees average $4,162, compared with $14,399 for out-of-state students. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $7,440 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Mchenry County College generally make around $24,177. Set against $7,440 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
John Wood Community College landed the #8 spot for fire protection value this year. Located in the town of Quincy, John Wood Community College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,100 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,700. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $13,844 in student loans. Fire Protection graduates of John Wood Community College earn a median of $45,748 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
College Of Dupage ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value fire protection schools. College Of Dupage is a very large public school located in the suburb of Glen Ellyn. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,560, compared with $12,750 for out-of-state students. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $12,492 in student loans. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $58,160. That is a strong return on a $12,492 median debt.
College Of Lake County landed the #10 spot for fire protection value this year. Set in the suburb of Grayslake, College Of Lake County is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,788, while out-of-state students pay about $14,400. Students borrow a median of $9,785 to complete the fire protection program here. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from College Of Lake County generally make around $50,314. Set against $9,785 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southwestern Illinois College came in at #11 for value in fire protection this year. Southwestern Illinois College is a large public school located in the suburb of Belleville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,230, with out-of-state students paying around $6,720. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $12,750 in student loans. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $77,935. That is a strong return on a $12,750 median debt.
Waubonsee Community College ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best value fire protection schools. Waubonsee Community College is a large public school located in the rural area of Sugar Grove. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,504, while out-of-state students pay about $10,464. Students borrow a median of $9,939 to complete the fire protection program here. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Waubonsee Community College generally make around $39,659. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Harper College ranked #13 on our 2027 list of the best value fire protection schools. Located in the suburb of Palatine, Harper College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $3,894 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,874 for out-of-state students. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $10,963 in student loans. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $44,523. Set against $10,963 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Western Illinois University placed #14 among the best values for fire protection. Set in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,572 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $22,723. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $41,432. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 71%.
Illinois Central College landed the #15 spot for fire protection value this year. Set in the suburb of East Peoria, Illinois Central College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,800, compared with $12,150 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $12,222. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $53,190. Set against $12,222 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale placed #16 among the best values for fire protection. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public school located in the town of Carbondale. In-state tuition and fees average $13,334. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $17,725. Fire Protection graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $104,017 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southern Illinois University Carbondale admits about 87% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 16 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.
