2027 Best Value Fire Protection Schools in Virginia
[Fire Protection](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/fire-protection/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for fire protection students.
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2027 Best Value Fire Protection Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in fire protection, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Fire Protection Schools
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College earned the #1 spot for value among fire protection schools in Virginia. J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Richmond. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,280, with out-of-state students paying around $11,718. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $16,131. Fire Protection graduates of J Sargeant Reynolds Community College earn a median of $36,965 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Tidewater Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fire protection, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Norfolk, Tidewater Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,858, while out-of-state students pay about $12,296. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $14,001 in student loans. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $35,627. Set against $14,001 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Liberty University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fire protection, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $16,173 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $27,414. Fire Protection graduates of Liberty University earn a median of $45,877 early in their careers. Set against $27,414 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
More Fire Protection Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 3 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.
