2026 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 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for fire protection students.
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2026 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
For return on investment in fire protection, no school beat Western Iowa Tech Community College this year. Western Iowa Tech Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Sioux City. In-state tuition and fees average $5,186, compared with $5,330 for out-of-state students. 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.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kirkwood Community College earned it the #2 place for fire protection. Located in the city of Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,176, with out-of-state students paying around $8,220. Students borrow a median of $15,779 to complete the fire protection program here. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $41,681. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes Waldorf College one of the best values for fire protection. Set in the rural area of Forest City, Waldorf College is a mid-sized private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $25,978. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $17,196. Fire Protection graduates of Waldorf College earn a median of $86,882 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
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 · 6 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.
