2026 Best Value Fire Protection Schools in Colorado
[Fire Protection](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/fire-protection/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong fire protection education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for fire protection students.
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2026 Best Value Fire Protection Schools in Colorado
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in fire protection, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Fire Protection Schools
Colorado Mountain College tops our 2026 list of the best value fire protection schools in Colorado. Colorado Mountain College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Glenwood Springs. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,616, while out-of-state students pay about $12,840. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $12,953 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Colorado Mountain College generally make around $48,694. That is a strong return on a $12,953 median debt.
Community College Of Aurora came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value fire protection schools. Set in the city of Aurora, Community College Of Aurora is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,470, compared with $17,070 for out-of-state students. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $15,365 in student loans. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $38,587. That is a strong return on a $15,365 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Red Rocks Community College earned it the #3 place for fire protection. Located in the suburb of Lakewood, Red Rocks Community College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,859, compared with $17,459 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $14,471. Fire Protection graduates of Red Rocks Community College earn a median of $76,340 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,471 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Aims Community College earned it the #4 place for fire protection. Aims Community College is a large public school located in the city of Greeley. Students from in state pay about $2,258 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,786 for out-of-state students. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $9,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Aims Community College generally make around $44,470. Set against $9,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Pikes Peak Community College one of the best values for fire protection. Located in the suburb of Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,510 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,110 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $16,066. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $41,037. That is a strong return on a $16,066 median debt.
Pueblo Community College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value fire protection schools. Pueblo Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Pueblo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,049, with out-of-state students paying around $17,649. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $14,106 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Pueblo Community College generally make around $42,377. That is a strong return on a $14,106 median debt.
Metropolitan State College Of Denver placed #7 among the best values for fire protection. Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public school located in the city of Denver. In-state tuition and fees average $11,124, while out-of-state students pay about $30,684. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $27,484 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Metropolitan State College Of Denver generally make around $44,861. That is a strong return on a $27,484 median debt. Metropolitan State College Of Denver admits about 99% of applicants.
More Fire Protection Rankings
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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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
