2026 Best Value Fire Protection Schools in New Jersey
[Fire Protection](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/fire-protection/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. 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 New Jersey
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in fire protection, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Fire Protection Schools
Leading the list is Passaic County Community College, our #1 best value for fire protection in New Jersey. Set in the suburb of Paterson, Passaic County Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,300, while out-of-state students pay about $10,560. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $9,581. Fire Protection graduates of Passaic County Community College earn a median of $28,957 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in fire protection will find it at New Jersey City University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Jersey City, New Jersey City University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,460. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $26,000. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $54,600. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. New Jersey City University admits about 98% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 12 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.
