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Fire department battalion chief education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a fire department battalion chief. Fire department battalion chiefs usually study fire science and protection, management, or intelligence operations. 43% of fire department battalion chiefs hold a associate degree, and 14% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 17 real fire department battalion chief resumes to see exactly what fire department battalion chief education sections show.

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

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

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

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

The most common degree for fire department battalion chiefs is associate degree, with 43% of fire department battalion chiefs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 14% and high school diploma degree at 14%.
  • Associate, 43%
  • High School Diploma, 14%
  • Bachelor's, 14%
  • Other Degrees, 29%

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

You should major in fire science and protection to become a fire department battalion chief. 50% of fire department battalion chiefs major in fire science and protection. Other common majors for a fire department battalion chief include management and intelligence operations.

Most common colleges for fire department battalion chiefs

Fire department battalion chief common collegePercentages
Madonna University50.00%
New York University50.00%

Best majors for fire department battalion chiefs

Best colleges for fire department battalion chiefs

The best colleges for fire department battalion chiefs are Northeastern University, Northwestern University, and New York University.

A fire department 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 fire department 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 fire department battalion chiefs.

1. Lewis University

Romeoville, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$32,450

Enrollment

4,217

2. Western Illinois University

Macomb, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$12,951

Enrollment

6,754

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

5. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Enrollment

11,139

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

7. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Knoxville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$13,006

Enrollment

22,653

8. Baker College

Owosso, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$9,800

Enrollment

8,319

9. University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$15,730

Enrollment

18,830

10. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

20 best online courses for fire department battalion chiefs

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Top 10 most affordable universities for fire department battalion chiefs

The most affordable schools for fire department battalion chiefs are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and florida international university.

If the best universities for fire department 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 fire department battalion chiefs.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

4. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

5. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

6. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

7. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

10. Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences

Memphis, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$11,900

Cost of attendance

21,002

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for fire department battalion chiefs

The hardest universities for fire department battalion chiefs to get into are Northeastern University, Northwestern University, and New York University.

Some great schools for fire department 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 fire department 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. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

4. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

7. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,362

8. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

Admissions rate

49%

SAT average

1,347

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. Tulane University

New Orleans, LA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,428

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

The easiest schools for fire department battalion chiefs to get into are AdventHealth University, d'youville college, and gwynedd mercy university.

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

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

3. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

5. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

7. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

8. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

9. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

10. Washington Adventist Hospital

Takoma Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

958

Average fire department battalion chief salary by education level

According to our data, fire department battalion chiefs with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $62,523 annually. Fire department battalion chiefs with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $55,402.
Fire department battalion chief education levelFire department battalion chief salary
High School Diploma or Less$50,735
Bachelor's Degree$62,523
Some College/ Associate Degree$55,402

Fire department battalion chief education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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