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Battalion chief education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a battalion chief. Battalion chiefs usually study fire science and protection, business, or management. 45% of battalion chiefs hold a bachelor's degree, and 32% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 719 real battalion chief resumes to see exactly what battalion chief education sections show.
The most common colleges for battalion chiefs are the American University and the American University.
There are also many online battalion chief courses to help get the education required to be a battalion chief.
There are certain battalion chief certifications that you should consider. These battalion chief certifications include Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) and Certified Fire Inspector I.
What education do you need to become a battalion chief?
What degree do you need to be a battalion chief?
- Bachelor's, 45%
- Associate, 32%
- Master's, 9%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a battalion chief?
- Business, 13%
- Management, 8%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for battalion chiefs
| Battalion chief common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| American University | 13.48% |
| University of Phoenix | 13.48% |
| Columbia Southern University | 11.24% |
| Grand Canyon University | 6.74% |
| Western Washington University | 5.62% |
Best majors for battalion chiefs
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire Science And Protection | 33.2% |
| 2 | Business | 13.4% |
| 3 | Management | 8.2% |
| 4 | Medical Technician | 7.9% |
| 5 | Criminal Justice | 6.7% |
Best colleges for battalion chiefs
The best colleges for battalion chiefs are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A battalion chief with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for battalion chiefs. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become battalion chiefs.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Lincoln, NE • Private
In-state tuition
$9,242
Enrollment
20,592
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,105
Enrollment
13,729
5. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$30,346
Enrollment
1,903
6. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Knoxville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$13,006
Enrollment
22,653
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
8. Siena Heights University
Adrian, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$27,124
Enrollment
2,035
9. University of Akron
Akron, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,463
Enrollment
13,676
10. Point Park University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$31,450
Enrollment
3,170
20 best online courses for battalion chiefs
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Top 10 most affordable universities for battalion chiefs
The most affordable schools for battalion chiefs are SUNY Farmingdale, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for battalion chiefs are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for battalion chiefs.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
9. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
10. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for battalion chiefs
The hardest universities for battalion chiefs to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for battalion chiefs are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for battalion chiefs based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
8. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
9. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,338
10. Brandeis University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
31%
SAT average
1,398
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for battalion chiefs
The easiest schools for battalion chiefs to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and notre dame college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a battalion chief without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for battalion chiefs.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
6. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
7. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
8. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
9. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
10. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
Average battalion chief salary by education level
| Battalion chief education level | Battalion chief salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $57,513 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $74,206 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $64,030 |
Battalion chief education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025