2023 Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Southwest Region
19
Ranked Colleges
324
Degrees Awarded
$40,495
Avg Salary
With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Fire Protection is the 118th most popular major in the country with 13,766 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, fire protection graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $53,963 and had an average of $19,479 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Southwest region, there were 1,477 fire protection graduates with average earnings and debt of $43,092 and $9,988 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 324 fire protection graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,810 and $18,681 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate” ranking analyzed 19 colleges that offered a degree in fire protection. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent fire protection programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the fire protection program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate”.
Top 19 Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Southwest Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Antonio College. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate. This fairly large school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 16 associates’s fire protection degrees in 2020-2021.
San Antonio College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.Among the 19,231 students enrolled at San Antonio College, 2,054 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,362 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,249. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full San Antonio College Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 19 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Yavapai College landed the #2 spot on the list. Yavapai College is a medium-sized public school situated in Prescott, Arizona. It awarded 8 associates’s fire protection degrees in 2020-2021.
Yavapai College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.Among the 6,009 students enrolled at Yavapai College, 257 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 166 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,293. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Yavapai College]](/colleges/yavapai-college/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lone Star College System. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate list. Located in The Woodlands, Texas, this large public school awarded 34 diplomas to qualified associates’s fire protection students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree vets studying fire protection list, North Harris Montgomery has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.Among the 70,109 students enrolled at North Harris Montgomery, 1,932 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,202 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,042. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Lone Star College System]](/colleges/lone-star-college-system/student-life/veterans/)
Out of the 19 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Austin Community College District landed the #4 spot on the list. Austin Community College District is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 associates’s fire protection degrees to qualified students.
Austin Community College District also made our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #12.Of the 39,896 students enrolled at Austin Community College District, 2,473 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 59 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $735. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Austin Community College District offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Austin Community College District]](/colleges/austin-community-college-district/student-life/veterans/)
Out of the 19 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Tarrant County College District landed the #5 spot on the list. Tarrant County College is a large school located in Fort Worth, Texas that handed out 10 associates’s fire protection degrees in 2020-2021.
Tarrant County College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.Among the 43,000 students enrolled at Tarrant County College, 1,862 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,172 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,319. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Tarrant County College District]](/colleges/tarrant-county-college-district/student-life/veterans/)
El Paso Community College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate ranking, coming in at #6. El Paso Community College is a large public school situated in El Paso, Texas. It awarded 23 associates’s fire protection degrees in 2020-2021.
El Paso Community College also took the #10 spot in our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.Of the 26,034 students enrolled at El Paso Community College, 1,324 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 511 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,459. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at El Paso Community College]](/colleges/el-paso-community-college/student-life/veterans/)
Central New Mexico Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate ranking. CNM is a fairly large school located in Albuquerque, New Mexico that handed out 25 associates’s fire protection degrees in 2020-2021.
CNM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.Among the 21,398 students enrolled at CNM, 839 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 390 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,171. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Houston Community College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate ranking, coming in at #8. Houston, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s fire protection degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.
Houston Community College also made our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #19.Our most recent data shows that 1,421 of the 48,329 students enrolled at Houston Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 783 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,632. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Pima Community College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate ranking. Tucson, Arizona is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s fire protection degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree vets studying fire protection list, Pima County Community College District has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.Among the 15,544 students enrolled at Pima Community College, 853 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 426 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,036. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Pima Community College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Pima County Community College District]](/colleges/pima-community-college/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #10, South Texas College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate list. South Texas College is a public institution located in McAllen, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
South Texas College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.Our most recent data shows that 532 of the 28,233 students enrolled at South Texas College were GI Bill® students, of which 193 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,731. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at South Texas College]](/colleges/south-texas-college/student-life/veterans/)
Tyler Junior College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate ranking, coming in at #11. Tyler Junior College is a public institution located in Tyler, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree vets studying fire protection list, Tyler Junior College has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.Of the 11,749 students enrolled at Tyler Junior College, 416 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 173 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,366. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Tyler Junior College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Tyler Junior College]](/colleges/tyler-junior-college/student-life/veterans/)
Glendale Community College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate ranking. This fairly large school is located in Glendale, Arizona, and it awarded 1 associates’s fire protection degrees in 2020-2021.
Glendale Community College also made our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #14.According to our most recent data, Glendale Community College supports 14,374 students, and 637 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 418 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,071. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
College of the Mainland ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate list. COM is a public institution located in Texas City, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
COM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.Of the 4,335 students enrolled at College of the Mainland, 118 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 96 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,327. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
South Plains College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Levelland, Texas, this medium-sized public school handed out 1 degrees to qualified associates’s fire protection students in 2020-2021.
South Plains College also took the #17 spot in our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.Of the 8,880 students enrolled at South Plains College, 284 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 106 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,097. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at South Plains College]](/colleges/south-plains-college/student-life/veterans/)
New Mexico State University - Dona Ana did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate ranking, coming in at #15. New Mexico State University - Dona Ana is a medium-sized public school situated in Las Cruces, New Mexico. It awarded 8 associates’s fire protection degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at NMSU Dona Ana, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, New Mexico State University - Dona Ana supports 7,028 students, and 288 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 164 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,016. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. New Mexico State University - Dona Ana does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Full New Mexico State University - Dona Ana Veteran Student Life Report
Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, this small public school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified associates’s fire protection students in 2020-2021.
OSU-OKC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.Our most recent data shows that 54 of the 4,949 students enrolled at OSU-OKC were GI Bill® students, of which 77 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,563. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #17, Cochise County Community College District did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate list. Cochise County Community College District is a public institution located in Sierra Vista, Arizona. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Cochise College also took the #20 spot in our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Cochise County Community College District supports 3,327 students, and 351 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 214 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,216. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
With a ranking of #18, Trinity Valley Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate list. Trinity Valley Community College is located in Athens, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 associates’s fire protection degrees to qualified students.
TVCC also took the #16 spot in our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.Of the 5,600 students enrolled at TVCC, 116 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 54 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,871. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Full TVCC Veteran Student Life Report
Blinn College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southwest Region for Fire Protection for an Associate ranking, coming in at #19. Blinn College is a fairly large public school situated in Brenham, Texas. It awarded 16 associates’s fire protection degrees in 2020-2021.
Blinn College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Fire Protection Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list.Of the 18,220 students enrolled at Blinn College, 604 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 249 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,910. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full Blinn College Veteran Student Life Report
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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