2027 Best Value Wildl&/Forest Firefighting & Investigation Schools in the Rocky Mountains 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. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Wildl&/Forest Firefighting & Investigation Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Wildl&/Forest Firefighting & Investigation Schools
Leading the list is Pikes Peak Community College, our #1 best value for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the suburb of Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,510, while out-of-state students pay about $17,110. Students borrow a median of $16,066 to complete the wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation program here. Soon after graduation, wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation degree recipients from Pikes Peak Community College generally make around $41,037. That is a strong return on a $16,066 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation will find it at Utah Valley University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Orem, Utah Valley University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,507, compared with $18,489 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation graduates is $15,203. Soon after graduation, wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation degree recipients from Utah Valley University generally make around $60,522. Set against $15,203 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Aims Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Greeley, Aims Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,258, while out-of-state students pay about $11,786. Students borrow a median of $9,750 to complete the wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation program here. Soon after graduation, wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation degree recipients from Aims Community College generally make around $45,909. Set against $9,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation will find it at Pueblo Community College, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Pueblo, Pueblo Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,049, compared with $17,649 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation graduates is $14,106. Early-career wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation graduates make about $42,377. That is a strong return on a $14,106 median debt.
A rank of #5 makes Mesa State College one of the best values for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation. Set in the city of Grand Junction, Mesa State College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,927, compared with $25,124 for out-of-state students. Wildl&/forest Firefighting & Investigation graduates carry a median of $22,310 in student loans. Early-career wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation graduates make about $43,617. Set against $22,310 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.