Find Trade Colleges
Fire Science
Types of Degrees Fire Science Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many fire science graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Basic Certificate | 5,261 |
Associate Degree | 2,083 |
Undergraduate Certificate | 699 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 259 |
What Fire Science Majors Need to Know
O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to fire science and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.
Knowledge Areas for Fire Science Majors
Fire Science majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:
- Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Skills for Fire Science Majors
A major in fire science prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Abilities for Fire Science Majors
As a fire science major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
What Can You Do With a Fire Science Major?
Below is a list of occupations associated with fire science:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Fire Inspectors | 7.3% | $62,510 |
Fire Investigators | 7.3% | $62,510 |
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists | 29.4% | $39,600 |
Municipal Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors | 7.1% | $76,330 |
Municipal Firefighters | 7.2% | $49,620 |
Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of fire science majors is as follows:
Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 27 |
Black or African American | 75 |
Hispanic or Latino | 249 |
White | 1,520 |
International Students | 1 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 211 |
Geographic Diversity
Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Fire Science. About 0.0% of those with this major are international students.
How Much Do Fire Science Majors Make?
Salaries According to BLS
Average salaries range from $49,610 to $64,140 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to fire science. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Fire Science
Some careers associated with fire science require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.
Find out what the typical degree level is for fire science careers below.
Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
Less than a High School Diploma | 4.5% |
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 29.7% |
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 21.8% |
Some College Courses | 20.2% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 15.9% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 6.5% |
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. | 0.4% |
Master’s Degree | 0.7% |
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. | 1.5% |
Post-Doctoral Training | 0.0% |
Online Fire Science Programs
The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 0 | 0 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 125 | 8 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 2 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 209 | 21 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 1 | 1 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 0 | 0 |
Master’s Degree | 2 | 1 |
Post-Master’s | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Fire Science Worth It?
The median salary for a fire science grad is $53,240 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 33% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $266,800 after 20 years!
Explore Major by State
Alabama
California
District of Columbia
Idaho
Kansas
Maryland
Mississippi
Nevada
New York
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Utah
West Virginia
Alaska
Colorado
Florida
Illinois
Kentucky
Massachusetts
Missouri
New Hampshire
North Carolina
Oregon
South Dakota
Vermont
Wisconsin
Trades Related to Fire Science
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to fire science.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Fire Prevention & Safety Technology/Technician | 3,862 |
Fire Services Administration | 1,370 |
Other Fire Protection | 140 |
Wildl&/Forest Firefighting & Investigation | 76 |
Fire Systems Technology | 72 |
Fire/Arson Investigation & Prevention | 60 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info | Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |