by our College Data Analytics Team
[Fire Protection](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/fire-protection/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The schools below stand out for the salaries their fire protection graduates go on to command.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying fire protection schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send fire protection graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Colorado State University Fort Collins tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying fire protection schools in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a public institution. Fire Protection graduates of Colorado State University Fort Collins earn a median of about $98,338 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in fire protection will find them at Red Rocks Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Lakewood, Red Rocks Community College is a public institution. After graduating, fire protection degree recipients from Red Rocks Community College typically earn about $59,426 annually.
Utah Valley University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying fire protection schools. Set in the city of Orem, Utah Valley University is a public institution. Fire Protection graduates of Utah Valley University earn a median of about $83,261 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in fire protection will find them at Aims Community College, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Greeley, Aims Community College is a public institution. Students who complete the fire protection program here go on to a median salary of roughly $44,470.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their fire protection graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 4 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.