by our College Data Analytics Team
[Fire Protection](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/fire-protection/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools to find the best return on investment for fire protection students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the fire protection degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in fire protection, no school beat Clover Park Technical College this year. Located in the city of Lakewood, Clover Park Technical College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,634. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $15,154 in student loans. Early-career fire protection graduates make about $42,209. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Bates Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fire protection, landing the #2 spot this year. Bates Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Tacoma. In-state tuition and fees average $6,027, compared with $12,165 for out-of-state students. Median earnings reach $50,051 ten years out.
Skagit Valley College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value fire protection schools. Skagit Valley College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Mount Vernon. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,400, with out-of-state students paying around $7,410. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $14,056 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Skagit Valley College generally make around $44,860. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in fire protection will find it at Spokane Community College, which ranked #4. Spokane Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Spokane. Students from in state pay about $5,461 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,612. Typical student debt for fire protection graduates is $16,486. Fire Protection graduates of Spokane Community College earn a median of $39,679 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,486 median debt.
Everett Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fire protection, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Everett, Everett Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,032 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,171. Fire Protection graduates carry a median of $13,542 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Everett Community College generally make around $47,441. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.