by our College Data Analytics Team
[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.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value fire protection schools.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the fire protection degrees they offer, see the list below.
Madisonville Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value fire protection schools in Kentucky. Set in the town of Madisonville, Madisonville Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,728, while out-of-state students pay about $6,432. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $10,985. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $41,084. Set against $10,985 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in fire protection will find it at Gateway Community And Technical College, which ranked #2. Gateway Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Florence. In-state tuition and fees average $4,728, compared with $6,432 for out-of-state students. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $11,611 in student loans. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $46,993. That is a strong return on a $11,611 median debt.
Bluegrass Community And Technical College came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value fire protection schools. Bluegrass Community And Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Lexington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,808, while out-of-state students pay about $6,512. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $13,366. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Bluegrass Community And Technical College generally make around $44,431. Set against $13,366 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes Eastern Kentucky University one of the best values for fire protection. Located in the town of Richmond, Eastern Kentucky University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,320, compared with $21,230 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Eastern Kentucky University generally make around $66,617. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.