Even the most experienced firefighters were once young men and women who just wanted to do their part, and, like most young people, they were probably trying to get their start on a limited budget. If the list below had been around then, that job might have been a little easier.
We used the most current information from the National Center for Education Statistics to find the 67 most affordable Fire Science degree programs in the country. Each of the schools on the list is a four-year institution with average annual tuition below $10,000. While the colleges and universities may vary greatly by location, atmosphere and other factors, any of the schools below would be an excellent choice for prospective firefighters looking for a great education at an affordable price.
For more information about our college rankings, please read our methodology page.
Rank | Name | Tuition | Total Enrollment | Type | City | State |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Salem State University | $910 | 14,149 | Public | Salem | Massachusetts |
2 | Broward College | $1,810 | 60,085 | Public | Fort Lauderdale | Florida |
3 | College of Central Florida | $1,819 | 12,325 | Public | Ocala | Florida |
4 | Santa Fe College | $1,840 | 21,793 | Public | Gainesville | Florida |
5 | Pensacola State College | $1,954 | 17,485 | Public | Pensacola | Florida |
6 | Florida State College at Jacksonville | $1,995 | 49,670 | Public | Jacksonville | Florida |
7 | Gulf Coast State College | $2,042 | 10,716 | Public | Panama City | Florida |
8 | College of Southern Nevada | $2,078 | 61,662 | Public | Las Vegas | Nevada |
9 | Great Basin College | $2,078 | 5,195 | Public | Elko | Nevada |
10 | Northwest Florida State College | $2,256 | 11,803 | Public | Niceville | Florida |
11 | Saint Johns River State College | $2,264 | 9,676 | Public | Palatka | Florida |
12 | Northern Marianas College | $2,280 | 1,388 | Public | Saipan | Northern Mariana Islands |
13 | Palm Beach State College | $2,304 | 43,530 | Public | Lake Worth | Florida |
14 | St Petersburg College | $2,324 | 43,534 | Public | Largo | Florida |
15 | Chipola College | $2,365 | 2,963 | Public | Marianna | Florida |
16 | Miami Dade College | $2,365 | 99,232 | Public | Miami | Florida |
17 | Seminole State College of Florida | $2,365 | 26,884 | Public | Sanford | Florida |
18 | State College of Florida – Manatee – Sarasota | $2,365 | 17,404 | Public | Bradenton | Florida |
19 | Polk State College | $2,373 | 15,150 | Public | Winter Haven | Florida |
20 | Indian River State College | $2,376 | 26,197 | Public | Fort Pierce | Florida |
21 | Northern New Mexico College | $2,411 | 3,259 | Public | Espanola | New Mexico |
22 | Fayetteville State University | $2,427 | 7,206 | Public | Fayetteville | North Carolina |
23 | Edison State College | $2,508 | 24,097 | Public | Fort Myers | Florida |
24 | Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City | $2,534 | 15,332 | Public | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma |
25 | Colorado Mountain College | $2,670 | 10,740 | Public | Glenwood Springs | Colorado |
26 | Bismarck State College | $2,691 | 5,089 | Public | Bismarck | North Dakota |
27 | Daytona State College | $3,074 | 25,231 | Public | Daytona Beach | Florida |
28 | Olympic College | $3,102 | 12,222 | Public | Bremerton | Washington |
29 | Bellevue College | $3,152 | 23,059 | Public | Bellevue | Washington |
30 | Midland College | $3,180 | 11,695 | Public | Midland | Texas |
31 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $3,242 | 29,290 | Public | Charlotte | North Carolina |
32 | Madison Area Technical College | $3,356 | 24,550 | Public | Madison | Wisconsin |
33 | Columbia Basin College | $3,383 | 9,867 | Public | Pasco | Washington |
34 | Brigham Young University – Idaho | $3,470 | 24,584 | Private - Not For Profit | Rexburg | Idaho |
35 | Southwestern Oklahoma State University | $3,660 | 6,303 | Public | Weatherford | Oklahoma |
36 | Utah Valley University | $3,944 | 40,697 | Public | Orem | Utah |
37 | University of Florida | $4,060 | 58,082 | Public | Gainesville | Florida |
38 | Lewis – Clark State College | $4,144 | 5,816 | Public | Lewiston | Idaho |
39 | Idaho State University | $4,180 | 18,620 | Public | Pocatello | Idaho |
40 | Montana State University – Billings | $4,187 | 6,651 | Public | Billings | Montana |
41 | Vincennes University | $4,249 | 23,958 | Public | Vincennes | Indiana |
42 | Oklahoma State University – Main Campus | $4,303 | 26,807 | Public | Stillwater | Oklahoma |
43 | Athens State University | $4,590 | 4,782 | Public | Athens | Alabama |
44 | Columbia Southern University | $4,800 | 28,460 | Private - For Profit | Orange Beach | Alabama |
45 | University of Alaska Anchorage | $5,115 | 28,019 | Public | Anchorage | Alaska |
46 | University of Alaska Fairbanks | $5,115 | 15,579 | Public | Fairbanks | Alaska |
47 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | $5,130 | 18,040 | Public | New York | New York |
48 | California State University – Los Angeles | $5,472 | 22,830 | Public | Los Angeles | California |
49 | Eastern Oregon University | $5,603 | 6,021 | Public | La Grande | Oregon |
50 | Columbia College | $5,679 | 30,588 | Private - Not For Profit | Columbia | Missouri |
51 | University of Maryland – University College | $5,856 | 59,200 | Public | Adelphi | Maryland |
52 | Mountain State University | $5,880 | 8,399 | Private - Not For Profit | Beckley | West Virginia |
53 | American Public University System | $6,000 | 88,029 | Private - For Profit | Charles Town | West Virginia |
54 | University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh | $6,090 | 15,954 | Public | Oshkosh | Wisconsin |
55 | University of Nebraska – Lincoln | $6,248 | 27,443 | Public | Lincoln | Nebraska |
56 | Colorado State University – Fort Collins | $6,307 | 33,712 | Public | Fort Collins | Colorado |
57 | University of the District of Columbia | $6,380 | 12,440 | Public | Washington | District Of Columbia |
58 | Western Oregon University | $6,450 | 8,384 | Public | Monmouth | Oregon |
59 | Southwest Minnesota State University | $6,679 | 7,732 | Public | Marshall | Minnesota |
60 | Eastern Kentucky University | $6,960 | 19,299 | Public | Richmond | Kentucky |
61 | New Jersey City University | $7,075 | 10,605 | Public | Jersey City | New Jersey |
62 | Southern Illinois University Carbondale | $7,337 | 22,814 | Public | Carbondale | Illinois |
63 | University of Akron Main Campus | $8,004 | 32,183 | Public | Akron | Ohio |
64 | University of Cincinnati – Main Campus | $8,805 | 38,041 | Public | Cincinnati | Ohio |
65 | Grand Canyon University | $9,198 | 65,509 | Private - For Profit | Phoenix | Arizona |
66 | Park University | $9,240 | 22,678 | Private - Not For Profit | Parkville | Missouri |
67 | Lake Superior State University | $9,264 | 3,099 | Public | Sault Ste Marie | Michigan |