2027 Best Value Fire Protection Schools in Iowa
[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 4 schools to find the best return on investment for fire protection students.
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2027 Best Value Fire Protection Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in fire protection, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Fire Protection Schools
Our analysis ranked Western Iowa Tech Community College the best value for a degree in fire protection in Iowa. Western Iowa Tech Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Sioux City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,186, while out-of-state students pay about $5,330. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $11,886. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Western Iowa Tech Community College generally make around $35,742. Set against $11,886 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Kirkwood Community College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value fire protection schools. Set in the city of Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,176 in tuition and fees, compared with $8,220 for out-of-state students. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $15,779 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Kirkwood Community College generally make around $41,681. Set against $15,779 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Des Moines Area Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fire protection, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,790, compared with $6,690 for out-of-state students. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $14,956 in student loans. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $43,121. That is a strong return on a $14,956 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in fire protection will find it at Waldorf College, which ranked #4. Waldorf College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Forest City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $25,978. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $17,196 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Waldorf College generally make around $86,882. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
More Fire Protection Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
