2026 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/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 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 Aims Community College, our #1 best value for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Greeley, Aims Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,258, with out-of-state students paying around $11,786. Typical student debt for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation graduates is $9,750. Early-career wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation graduates make about $45,909. Set against $9,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Pikes Peak Community College one of the best values for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation. Set in the suburb of Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $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. Wildl&/forest Firefighting & Investigation graduates of Pikes Peak Community College earn a median of $41,037 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,066 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Pueblo Community College earned it the #3 place for wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation. Located in the city of Pueblo, Pueblo Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,049 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,649. Students borrow a median of $14,106 to complete the wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation program here. Soon after graduation, wildl&/forest firefighting & investigation degree recipients from Pueblo Community College generally make around $42,377. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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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 · 5 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.