2023 Best Value Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Finding the Best Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting School for You
Out of all the majors we analyze each year, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting was ranked #12 in the country. In fact 142,610 degrees and certificates were handed out in 2020-2021.
There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
The Best Value Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 267 schools in the Southeast Region to see which programs offered the best value experiences for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
Top 25 Best Southeast Region Schools for Affordable Quality in Law Enforcement & Firefighting
Our 2023 rankings named Columbia Southern University the best value school in the Southeast Region for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. Located in the fringe town of Orange Beach, Columbia Southern University is a private for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Columbia Southern University are $5,775 a year. While working on their degree, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting majors at Columbia Southern University accumulate an average of around $22,904 in student debt.
In addition to its great value ranking, Columbia Southern University is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region list.
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The excellent programs at American Public University System helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting schools in the Southeast Region . Located in the fringe town of Charles Town, American Military University is a private for-profit college with a very large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at American Military University are $7,360 a year. On average, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting graduates from American Military University take out $16,312 in student loans while working on their degree.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, American Military University also is in the top 5% of our Best Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region ranking.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Crescent Technical College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the suburb of Griffin, Southern Crescent Technical College is a public school with a small student population.
Southern Crescent Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,526 in tuition and fees each year.
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Out of the 267 schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Itawamba Community College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the remote town of Fulton, ICC is a public college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at ICC are $5,360 a year.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Georgia Military College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the distant town of Milledgeville, Georgia Military College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Georgia Military College are $6,390 per year. On average, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting graduates from Georgia Military College take out $13,739 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Delgado Community College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting programs. Located in the large city of New Orleans, Delgado Community College is a public college with a large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Delgado Community College are $4,079 a year. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting majors at Delgado Community College take out an average of $30,425 in student loans while working on their egree.
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University of North Carolina at Pembroke landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting programs. Located in the distant town of Pembroke, UNC Pembroke is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
UNC Pembroke undergraduate students pay an average of $7,495 in tuition and fees each year. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting majors at UNC Pembroke take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $87, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Western Carolina University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. WCU is a fairly large public school located in the distant town of Cullowhee.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at WCU are $8,367 a year. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting majors at WCU take out an average of $21,928 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $195, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #9, Baton Rouge Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. Located in the medium-sized city of Baton Rouge, BRCC is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
BRCC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,221 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting majors at BRCC accumulate an average of around $17,500 in student debt.
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North Georgia Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. It came in at #10 on the list. North Georgia Technical College is a small public school located in the rural area of Clarkesville.
North Georgia Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,422 in tuition and fees each year.
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Herzing University - Atlanta did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. It came in at #11 on the list. Located in the large city of Atlanta, Herzing University - Atlanta is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Herzing University - Atlanta are $14,200 a year. After completing their degree, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting graduates from Herzing University - Atlanta carry an average student debtload of $25,850.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Herzing University - Atlanta also did well on our Best Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
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Augusta Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. It came in at #12 on the list. Augusta Technical College is a small public school located in the midsize city of Augusta.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Augusta Technical College are $5,632 per year.
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With a ranking of #13, Southern Arkansas University Tech did quite well on this year’s best value schools for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. Located in the rural area of Camden, SAU Tech is a public school with a fairly small student population.
SAU Tech undergraduate students pay an average of $6,210 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting graduates from SAU Tech carry an average student debtload of $9,902.
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Herzing University - Kenner did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. It came in at #14 on the list. Herzing University - Kenner is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Kenner.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Herzing University - Kenner are $14,200 a year. On average, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting graduates from Herzing University - Kenner take out $25,971 in student loans while working on their degree.
Herzing University - Kenner excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region list.
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With a ranking of #15, SOWELA Technical Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. SOWELA is a small public school located in the small city of Lake Charles.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SOWELA are $4,265 per year.
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Herzing University - Birmingham did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. It came in at #16 on the list. Herzing University - Birmingham is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Birmingham.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Herzing University - Birmingham are $14,200 per year. The average amount in student loans that homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting majors at Herzing University - Birmingham take out is $25,971.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Herzing University - Birmingham also is in the top 10% of our Best Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region ranking.
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Gwinnett Technical College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting programs. Located in the suburb of Lawrenceville, GTC is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at GTC are $5,636 a year. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting majors at GTC take out an average of $16,833 in student loans while working on their egree.
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With a ranking of #18, Savannah Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. Located in the city of Savannah, Savannah Tech is a public school with a small student population.
Savannah Tech undergraduate students pay an average of $5,442 in tuition and fees each year. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting majors at Savannah Tech take out an average of $12,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
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South Georgia Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. It came in at #19 on the list. South Georgia Technical College is a small public school located in the rural area of Americus.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at South Georgia Technical College are $6,692 a year.
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Wiregrass Georgia Technical College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is a small public school located in the suburb of Valdosta.
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,552 in tuition and fees each year.
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Elizabeth City State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. ECSU is a small public school located in the distant town of Elizabeth City.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ECSU are $7,326 per year. While working on their degree, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting majors at ECSU accumulate an average of around $28,000 in student debt.
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University of the Cumberlands came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Cumberlands is a large private not-for-profit school located in the town of Williamsburg.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cumberlands are $9,875 per year. The average amount in student loans that homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting majors at Cumberlands take out is $23,244.
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Central Georgia Technical College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting programs. CGTC is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Warner Robins.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at CGTC are $5,442 per year. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting majors at CGTC take out an average of $16,188 in student loans while working on their egree.
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Bossier Parish Community College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting programs. Located in the small city of Bossier City, Bossier Parish Community College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
Bossier Parish Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,284 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting graduates from Bossier Parish Community College carry an average student debtload of $23,394.
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Georgia Northwestern Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting students. It came in at #25 on the list. Georgia Northwestern Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Rome.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Georgia Northwestern Technical College are $5,462 per year.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Georgia Northwestern Technical College also did well on our Best Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
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Honorable Mentions
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Value Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide | Daytona Beach, FL |
| 42 | Valencia College | Orlando, FL |
| 42 | Charleston Southern University | Charleston, SC |
| 44 | Rasmussen University - Florida | Ocala, FL |
| 45 | Liberty University | Lynchburg, VA |
| 46 | Seminole State College of Florida | Sanford, FL |
| 47 | Tallahassee Community College | Tallahassee, FL |
| 48 | Louisiana State University - Eunice | Eunice, LA |
| 49 | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Jacksonville, FL |
| 50 | Florida Gateway College | Lake City, FL |
| 51 | St Petersburg College | Clearwater, FL |
| 52 | Gulf Coast State College | Panama City, FL |
| 53 | University of Florida-Online | Gainesville, FL |
Best Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Colleges by State
Explore the best homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting schools for a specific state in the Southeast region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | 3,253 |
| West Virginia | 2,543 |
| Mississippi | 640 |
| South Carolina | 1,049 |
| Florida | 6,464 |
| Virginia | 3,572 |
| Arkansas | 735 |
| Alabama | 2,863 |
| Kentucky | 1,321 |
| Georgia | 2,338 |
| Tennessee | 1,330 |
| Louisiana | 1,112 |
More Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Rankings in the Southeast Region
Majors Related to Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Criminal Justice & Corrections | 113,121 |
| Fire Protection | 13,766 |
| Homeland Security | 7,140 |
| Security Science and Technology | 6,888 |
| Other Homeland Security | 1,695 |
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Administration & Social Service | 98,583 |
| Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies | 73,813 |
| Legal Professions | 61,055 |
| Military Technologies & Applied Sciences | 4,477 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Barry Bahler.
More about our data sources and methodologies.