Battalion fire chief education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a battalion fire chief. Battalion fire chiefs usually study fire science and protection, business, or criminal justice. 45% of battalion fire chiefs hold a associate degree, and 36% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 80 real battalion fire chief resumes to see exactly what battalion fire chief education sections show.

The most common colleges for battalion fire chiefs are the Keiser University and the Keiser University.

There are also many online battalion fire chief courses to help get the education required to be a battalion fire chief.

What education do you need to become a battalion fire chief?

What degree do you need to be a battalion fire chief?

The most common degree for battalion fire chiefs is associate degree, with 45% of battalion fire chiefs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 36% and bachelor's degree degree at 12%.

Associate, 45%

Bachelor's, 36%

Master's, 12%

High School Diploma, 6%

What should I major in to become a battalion fire chief?

You should major in fire science and protection to become a battalion fire chief. 39% of battalion fire chiefs major in fire science and protection. Other common majors for a battalion fire chief include business and criminal justice.

Fire Science And Protection, 39%

Business, 9%

Criminal Justice, 9%

Political Science, 4%

Other Majors, 39%

Most common colleges for battalion fire chiefs

Battalion fire chiefs often get their degrees at Keiser University, University of the District of Columbia, and Columbia Southern University. Here are the most common colleges for battalion fire chiefs in the US based on their resumes.

Battalion fire chief common college	Percentages
Keiser University	8.70%
University of the District of Columbia	8.70%
Columbia Southern University	8.70%
Naval Postgraduate School	4.35%
John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York	4.35%

Show more common battalion fire chief colleges

Best majors for battalion fire chiefs

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Fire Science And Protection	39.1%
2	Business	8.7%
3	Criminal Justice	8.7%
4	Political Science	4.3%
5	Management	4.3%

Show more common battalion fire chief majors

Best colleges for battalion fire chiefs

The best colleges for battalion fire chiefs are Northeastern University, SUNY at Binghamton, and American University.

A battalion fire 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 fire 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 fire chiefs.

1. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,270

Enrollment

12,852

2. Worldwide Campus

Daytona Beach, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$9,360

Enrollment

10,254

3. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$35,814

Enrollment

5,925

4. Lake Superior State University

Sault Ste Marie, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$11,895

Enrollment

1,873

5. Oklahoma State University

Stillwater, OK • Private

In-state tuition

$9,019

Enrollment

20,323

6. Eastern New Mexico University

Portales, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,326

Enrollment

3,347

7. University of Nebraska - Omaha

Omaha, NE • Private

In-state tuition

$7,790

Enrollment

12,230

8. University of Idaho

Moscow, ID • Private

In-state tuition

$7,864

Enrollment

7,528

9. University of Alaska Fairbanks

Fairbanks, AK • Private

In-state tuition

$6,657

Enrollment

4,657

10. Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, AZ • Private

In-state tuition

$17,050

Enrollment

53,209

20 best online courses for battalion fire chiefs

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Top 10 most affordable universities for battalion fire chiefs

The most affordable schools for battalion fire chiefs are California State University - Los Angeles, john jay college of criminal justice of the city university of new york, and florida international university.

If the best universities for battalion fire 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 fire chiefs.

1. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

2. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,270

Cost of attendance

14,177

3. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

5. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

6. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

9. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for battalion fire chiefs

The hardest universities for battalion fire chiefs to get into are Northeastern University, SUNY at Binghamton, and American University.

Some great schools for battalion fire 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 fire 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. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

2. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

3. American University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,320

4. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

5. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,304

6. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

7. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

8. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

9. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

Admissions rate

49%

SAT average

1,345

10. Providence College

Providence, RI • Private

Admissions rate

49%

SAT average

1,294

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for battalion fire chiefs

The easiest schools for battalion fire chiefs to get into are Notre Dame College, nyack college, and university of north texas at dallas.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a battalion fire 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 fire chiefs.

1. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

2. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

3. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

4. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

5. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

6. California University of Pennsylvania

California, PA • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,007

7. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

8. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

9. Saint Thomas University

Miami Gardens, FL • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

1,031

10. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

Average battalion fire chief salary by education level

Battalion fire chiefs with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $68,209 annually. With a Associate degree, battalion fire chiefs earn a median annual income of $59,010 compared to $53,106 for battalion fire chiefs with an High School Diploma degree.

Battalion fire chief education level	Battalion fire chief salary
High School Diploma or Less	$53,106
Bachelor's Degree	$68,209
Some College/ Associate Degree	$59,010

Battalion fire chief education FAQs

What is the best college for Battalion Fire Chiefs?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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