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Fire chief education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a fire chief. Fire chiefs usually study fire science and protection, business, or criminal justice. 37% of fire chiefs hold a associate degree, and 35% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 2,110 real fire chief resumes to see exactly what fire chief education sections show.
The most common colleges for fire chiefs are the Columbia Southern University and the Columbia Southern University.
There are also many online fire chief courses to help get the education required to be a fire chief.
There are certain fire chief certifications that you should consider. These fire chief certifications include Certified Fire Inspector I and Equipment Management Specialist (EMS).
What education do you need to become a fire chief?
What degree do you need to be a fire chief?
- Associate, 37%
- Bachelor's, 35%
- High School Diploma, 14%
- Master's, 9%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a fire chief?
- Business, 14%
- Criminal Justice, 7%
- Other Majors, 34%
Most common colleges for fire chiefs
| Fire chief common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Columbia Southern University | 26.28% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 7.30% |
| Oklahoma State University | 7.30% |
| Texas A&M University - Central Texas | 5.11% |
| University of Phoenix | 5.11% |
Best majors for fire chiefs
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire Science And Protection | 39.2% |
| 2 | Business | 14.0% |
| 3 | Criminal Justice | 7.4% |
| 4 | Medical Technician | 6.3% |
| 5 | Management | 5.6% |
Best colleges for fire chiefs
The best colleges for fire chiefs are Providence College, Saint Thomas University, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
A 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 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 fire chiefs.
1. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
3. Providence College
Providence, RI • Private
In-state tuition
$50,528
Enrollment
4,079
4. 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
5. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Enrollment
24,163
6. Worldwide Campus
Daytona Beach, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$9,360
Enrollment
10,254
7. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$35,814
Enrollment
5,925
8. Vermont Technical College
Randolph, VT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,108
Enrollment
1,350
9. Lewis University
Romeoville, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$32,450
Enrollment
4,217
10. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$31,830
Enrollment
986
20 best online courses for fire chiefs
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Top 10 most affordable universities for fire chiefs
The most affordable schools for fire chiefs are John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York, brigham young university - idaho, and california state university - los angeles.
If the best universities for 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 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
Cost of attendance
14,177
2. Brigham Young University - Idaho
Rexburg, ID • Private
In-state tuition
$4,118
Cost of attendance
12,223
3. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,633
Cost of attendance
19,235
6. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$31,830
Cost of attendance
41,512
7. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Oshkosh, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$7,621
Cost of attendance
18,612
8. Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$12,951
Cost of attendance
25,686
9. Worldwide Campus
Daytona Beach, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$9,360
Cost of attendance
22,944
10. Eastern New Mexico University
Portales, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$6,326
Cost of attendance
17,330
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for fire chiefs
The hardest universities for fire chiefs to get into are Providence College, Saint Thomas University, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Some great schools for 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 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. Providence College
Providence, RI • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,294
2. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
1,031
3. Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Carbondale, IL • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,124
4. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,339
5. Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, MO • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,117
6. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,362
7. University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
1,120
8. Brigham Young University - Idaho
Rexburg, ID • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,140
9. Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,037
10. Salem State University
Salem, MA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,065
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for fire chiefs
The easiest schools for fire chiefs to get into are Saint Thomas University, lindenwood university, and salem state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a 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 fire chiefs.
1. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
1,031
2. Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, MO • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,117
3. Salem State University
Salem, MA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,065
4. Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Carbondale, IL • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,124
5. Brigham Young University - Idaho
Rexburg, ID • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,140
6. Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,037
7. Providence College
Providence, RI • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,294
8. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
9. Albany State University
Albany, GA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
865
10. Eastern Oregon University
La Grande, OR • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,045
Average fire chief salary by education level
| Fire chief education level | Fire chief salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $64,248 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $87,811 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $73,284 |
Fire chief education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common protective service questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025