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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2026 Best Fire Protection Schools in North Carolina

5 Colleges in the United States
188 Fire Protection Degrees Awarded
$42,460 Avg Early-Career Salary

Fire Protection degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 22 schools to find the best for fire protection students.

What’s on this page:

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Best Schools for Fire Protection in North Carolina

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall fire protection education in North Carolina.

Top Schools in Fire Protection

1

Our analysis ranked Fayetteville State University the best school in the country for a degree in fire protection. Located in the city of Fayetteville, Fayetteville State University is a moderately-sized public university. Roughly 38% of students complete a degree within six years here. Fayetteville State University awarded about 33 fire protection degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their fire protection degree from Fayetteville State University earn around $67,586 in the first couple years of their career. Fayetteville State University graduates carry a median of $15,777 in student loans. More information about a degree in fire protection from Fayetteville State University

2
Gaston College crest
Gaston College
Dallas, NC

A rank of #2 makes Gaston College one of the top schools for fire protection. This moderately-sized public university is located in the suburb of Dallas. There were roughly 16 fire protection students who graduated with this degree at Gaston College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the fire protection program make about $39,937 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $10,915. See the full fire protection program report for Gaston College

3

Guilford Technical Community College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in fire protection, landing the #3 spot this year. This large public university is located in the suburb of Jamestown. There were roughly 16 fire protection students who graduated with this degree at Guilford Technical Community College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the fire protection program make about $36,124 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,501. Get the full fire protection details for Guilford Technical Community College

4

Cleveland Community College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in fire protection, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the town of Shelby, Cleveland Community College is a mid-sized public university. There were roughly 25 fire protection students who graduated with this degree at Cleveland Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their fire protection degree from Cleveland Community College earn around $39,891 in the first couple years of their career. Cleveland Community College graduates carry a median of $7,131 in student loans. More information about a degree in fire protection from Cleveland Community College

5

A rank of #5 makes Fayetteville Technical Community College one of the top schools for fire protection. Set in the city of Fayetteville, Fayetteville Technical Community College is a large public institution. Fayetteville Technical Community College awarded about 88 fire protection degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the fire protection program make about $40,584 in their early career. Fayetteville Technical Community College graduates carry a median of $16,909 in student loans. Get the full fire protection details for Fayetteville Technical Community College

6
Methodist University crest
Methodist University
Fayetteville, NC

Methodist University came in at #6 for fire protection this year. Methodist University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Fayetteville. About 43% of students finish within six years. Methodist University awarded about 10 fire protection degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, fire protection degree recipients from Methodist University generally make around $30,637. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000. See the full fire protection program report for Methodist University

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 22 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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