2026 Best Value Wildl&/Forest Firefighting & Investigation Schools in the Far Western Region
[Wildl&/Forest Firefighting & Investigation](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/fire-protection/wildland-forest-firefighting-and-investigation/) 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 10 schools to find the best return on investment for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation students.
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2026 Best Value Wildl&/Forest Firefighting & Investigation Schools in the Far Western Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Wildl&/Forest Firefighting & Investigation Schools
Our analysis ranked Victor Valley College the best value for a degree in wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation in the Far Western Region. Set in the suburb of Victorville, Victor Valley College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $1,425 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $10,125. Wildl&/forest Firefighting & Investigation graduates carry a median of $7,995 in student loans. Wildl&/forest Firefighting & Investigation graduates of Victor Valley College earn a median of $37,755 early in their careers. Set against $7,995 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Shasta College earned it the #2 place for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation. Located in the suburb of Redding, Shasta College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,197, compared with $8,853 for out-of-state students. Wildl&/forest Firefighting & Investigation graduates carry a median of $12,275 in student loans. Wildl&/forest Firefighting & Investigation graduates of Shasta College earn a median of $50,330 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,275 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Porterville College earned it the #3 place for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation. Located in the suburb of Porterville, Porterville College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,438, while out-of-state students pay about $11,308. Graduates go on to earn a median of $36,328 ten years after entry.
A rank of #4 makes Allan Hancock College one of the best values for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation. Set in the city of Santa Maria, Allan Hancock College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,156, with out-of-state students paying around $9,892. Median earnings reach $42,786 ten years out.
Bakersfield College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation schools. Located in the city of Bakersfield, Bakersfield College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,430, compared with $11,300 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $9,419 to complete the wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation program here. Soon after graduation, wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation degree recipients from Bakersfield College generally make around $86,312. That is a strong return on a $9,419 median debt.
Antelope Valley College earned the #6 position for value in wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation this year. Antelope Valley College is a large public school located in the suburb of Lancaster. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,124, with out-of-state students paying around $9,548. Wildl&/forest Firefighting & Investigation graduates carry a median of $10,729 in student loans. Early-career wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation graduates make about $50,744. That is a strong return on a $10,729 median debt.
Central Oregon Community College earned the #7 position for value in wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation this year. Central Oregon Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Bend. In-state tuition and fees average $5,683, while out-of-state students pay about $15,246. Typical student debt for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation graduates is $16,250. Wildl&/forest Firefighting & Investigation graduates of Central Oregon Community College earn a median of $52,183 early in their careers. Set against $16,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Rio Hondo College came in at #8 for value in wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation this year. Located in the rural area of Whittier, Rio Hondo College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,388, compared with $9,884 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,510 to complete the wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation program here. Wildl&/forest Firefighting & Investigation graduates of Rio Hondo College earn a median of $95,666 early in their careers. Set against $15,510 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 10 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.
