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Other Fire Protection

Types of Degrees Other Fire Protection Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Other Fire Protection may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1
Associate’s Degree	12
Bachelor’s Degree	26
Master’s Degree	11

What Other Fire Protection Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Other Fire Protection develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Other Fire Protection graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Other Fire Protection emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Public Safety and Security — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Other Fire Protection program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Coordination — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Service Orientation — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Other Fire Protection careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Other Fire Protection graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.5 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.5 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.5 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.3 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.3 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Other Fire Protection professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Plume modeling software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Geographic information system GIS software	Geographic information system	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Affiliated Computer Services ACS FIREHOUSE	Data base user interface and query software	—
Corel WordPerfect Office Suite	Office suite software	—
Fire incident reporting systems	Data base user interface and query software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Other Fire Protection graduates include:

• Fire Chief’s Aide
• Fireman
• Fire Management Specialist
• Fire Technician (Fire Tech)
• Wildland Firefighter Specialist
• Forestry Fire Technician (Forestry Fire Tech)
• Forest Fire Suppression Specialist
• Fireboat Operator
• Fire Engineer
• Fire Apparatus Engineer
• Apparatus Operator
• Ladder Operator
• Water and Fire Technician (Water and Fire Tech)
• Fire Hydrant Operator
• Tail Board Man

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Other Fire Protection graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	33.4%
Postsecondary certificate	22.4%
Some college courses	16.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	13.4%
Less than a high school diploma	7.0%
Bachelor’s degree	3.8%
First professional degree	1.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.4%
Doctoral degree	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Other Fire Protection?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 67.1% of Other Fire Protection degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	23	32.9%
Men	47	67.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Other Fire Protection graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	43	61.4%
Asian	4	5.7%
Hispanic or Latino	10	14.3%
Black or African American	1	1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	2.9%
Two or More Races	2	2.9%
Race Unknown	4	5.7%
International Students	3	4.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Other Fire Protection Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Other Fire Protection graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$63,281
4 years	$64,817
5 years	$72,249

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $72,249 — roughly 14% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Other Fire Protection Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for Other Fire Protection. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	1	1

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Other Fire Protection Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Other Fire Protection graduates earn a median of $64,817 four years after completion — roughly 71% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Fire Protection	43.02
Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician	43.0201
Fire Science/Fire-fighting	43.0203
Fire Services Administration	43.0202
Fire Systems Technology	43.0204
Fire/Arson Investigation and Prevention	43.0205
Wildland/Forest Firefighting and Investigation	43.0206

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.