2026 Best Value Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/Technician Schools in North Carolina
[Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/Technician](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/fire-protection/fire-prevention-and-safety-technology-technician/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 19 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for fire prevention & safety technology/technician students.
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2026 Best Value Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/Technician Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in fire prevention & safety technology/technician, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/Technician Schools
Cleveland Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value fire prevention & safety technology/technician schools in North Carolina. Cleveland Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Shelby. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,602, compared with $8,746 for out-of-state students. Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $7,131 in student loans. Early-career fire prevention & safety technology/technician graduates make about $39,891. That is a strong return on a $7,131 median debt.
Central Piedmont Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value fire prevention & safety technology/technician schools. Located in the city of Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,792, with out-of-state students paying around $8,936. Students borrow a median of $11,861 to complete the fire prevention & safety technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, fire prevention & safety technology/technician degree recipients from Central Piedmont Community College generally make around $40,629. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes Fayetteville Technical Community College one of the best values for fire prevention & safety technology/technician. Fayetteville Technical Community College is a large public school located in the city of Fayetteville. Students from in state pay about $2,628 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,772. Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $16,909 in student loans. Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/technician graduates of Fayetteville Technical Community College earn a median of $40,584 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,909 median debt.
Rowan Cabarrus Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fire prevention & safety technology/technician, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Salisbury, Rowan Cabarrus Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,064, while out-of-state students pay about $6,672. Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $10,867 in student loans. Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/technician graduates of Rowan Cabarrus Community College earn a median of $34,351 early in their careers. Set against $10,867 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Gaston College earned it the #5 place for fire prevention & safety technology/technician. Gaston College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Dallas. Students from in state pay about $3,186 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $9,330. Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $10,915 in student loans. Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/technician graduates of Gaston College earn a median of $39,937 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Sandhills Community College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value fire prevention & safety technology/technician schools. Set in the rural area of Pinehurst, Sandhills Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,040 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,648 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire prevention & safety technology/technician graduates is $9,238. Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/technician graduates of Sandhills Community College earn a median of $46,492 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Guilford Technical Community College ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value fire prevention & safety technology/technician schools. Set in the suburb of Jamestown, Guilford Technical Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,320, compared with $7,696 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fire prevention & safety technology/technician graduates is $20,501. Soon after graduation, fire prevention & safety technology/technician degree recipients from Guilford Technical Community College generally make around $36,124. That is a strong return on a $20,501 median debt.
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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 · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
