Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Fire investigator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a fire investigator. Fire investigators usually study fire science and protection, criminal justice, or business. 44% of fire investigators hold a bachelor's degree, and 38% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 313 real fire investigator resumes to see exactly what fire investigator education sections show.
The most common colleges for fire investigators are the Eastern Kentucky University and the Eastern Kentucky University.
There are also many online fire investigator courses to help get the education required to be a fire investigator.
There are certain fire investigator certifications that you should consider. These fire investigator certifications include Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) and Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI).
What education do you need to become a fire investigator?
What degree do you need to be a fire investigator?
- Bachelor's, 44%
- Associate, 38%
- Master's, 12%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a fire investigator?
- Criminal Justice, 19%
- Business, 8%
- Management, 4%
- Other Majors, 34%
Most common colleges for fire investigators
| Fire investigator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Eastern Kentucky University | 17.39% |
| Columbia Southern University | 13.04% |
| Ohio University - Eastern Campus | 6.52% |
| Northeastern State University | 4.35% |
| University of the District of Columbia | 4.35% |
Best majors for fire investigators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire Science And Protection | 35.4% |
| 2 | Criminal Justice | 19.1% |
| 3 | Business | 8.4% |
| 4 | Management | 4.5% |
| 5 | Law Enforcement | 3.9% |
Best colleges for fire investigators
The best colleges for fire investigators are University of Tulsa, SUNY at Binghamton, and Syracuse University.
A fire investigator 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 investigators. 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 investigators.
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. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Enrollment
24,163
3. Southwest Minnesota State University
Marshall, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$8,612
Enrollment
2,022
4. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Oshkosh, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$7,621
Enrollment
10,749
5. Worldwide Campus
Daytona Beach, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$9,360
Enrollment
10,254
6. Lewis University
Romeoville, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$32,450
Enrollment
4,217
7. Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$12,951
Enrollment
6,754
8. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$31,830
Enrollment
986
9. University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$6,853
Enrollment
23,939
10. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Lincoln, NE • Private
In-state tuition
$9,242
Enrollment
20,592
20 best online courses for fire investigators
Advertising disclosure
1. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes
‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...
2. The Effect of Fires on People, Property and the Environment
Fires impact people, property and the environment in all countries around the world. In some cases, the resulting losses are extraordinary, causing hundreds of deaths, widespread damage to property and contents and significant impacts on the environment. More often, fires may cause a single casualty or affect a single home, though the effects are still highly significant to those affected and collectively are substantial. This course will provide an overview of the challenges posed by fire as...
3. Fire Safety: Become A Fire Safety Expert
Become an expert in Fire Safety, Fire Hazards Control, Fire Evacuation Plans, and Fire Risk Assessment...
4. Basic Fire Safety Awareness
Basic Fire Safety Awareness - Your Gateway towards Career in Fire Safety...
5. Threat Investigation
If you are an associate-level cybersecurity analyst who is working in security operation centers, this course will help you understand how threat-centric SOC must prepare for analyzing new and emerging threats by implementing robust security investigation procedures • By the end of the course, you will be able to: • Understand cyber-threat hunting concepts • Describe the five hunting maturity levels (HM0–HM4) • Describe the hunting cycle four-stage loop• Describe the use of the Common...
6. Investigating Epidemics like COVID-19: An Analyst's Guide
Do you want to learn how to detect, identify the cause, and decrease the morbidity and mortality from outbreaks or pandemics like COVID-19? Are you considering a career in public health practice, but aren’t sure how health departments collect and use outbreak data? Are you working in public health, but interested in moving into analytical and/or technical roles or curious how health departments investigate outbreaks? If so, this course is for you. After taking this course you be able to define...
7. NEBOSH FIRE SAFETY
Managing Fire Safety in Workplace...
8. Fire Safety and Prevention Planning
Become an expert in understanding Fire Safety and Prevention Planning for your workplaces and organizations...
9. Investigative Journalism
How to find hidden sources. How to look for documents and people...
10. Mantaflow Fire & Smoke Simulation Guide in Blender
Learn everything there is to know about the Fire and Smoke Simulation in Blender!...
11. IFCI Expert Cybercrime Investigator's Course
Protect your network - Put cybercriminals in jail. Learn computer forensics, malware analysis and hacker investigations...
12. Forensic Psychology - ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE
Become a specialist in criminal investigations and forensic profiling, start your career and add certificate to resume!...
13. Forensic accounting, fraud investigation and fraud analytics
The 14 hour course(50casestudies) helps to understand fraud examination, forensic audit,financial crime, data analytics...
14. AML Case Investigation Skills
A guide to conducting AML case investigations, writing quality case narratives and the submission of STRs (STR filing)...
15. Digital Forensics and Cyber-Crime Investigation
Computer Forensics...
16. Sales Fire: B2B Sales & Business Development for Startups
The Ultimate Sales Methodology for Business Development & B2B Sales to Learn Sales Strategy, Sales Skills & Deal Closing...
17. Fire Starter Sessions Video Workshop with Danielle LaPorte
Strengthen your voice. Prioritize what's sacred. Define success — on your own terms. For Creatives & Entrepreneurs...
18. Digital Forensics Masterclass: Forensic Science 2023 DFMC+
Learn digital forensics and be computer forensics investigator / Certificate after completing course / DFMC+ / DFIR 2023...
19. Cyber Crime Analyst Part 2
Cyber Forensics Investigator...
20. OSINT: Open-Source Intelligence Level 2
For hackers, investigators, and everyone else...
Top 10 most affordable universities for fire investigators
The most affordable schools for fire investigators are California State University - Los Angeles, suny farmingdale, and john jay college of criminal justice of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for fire investigators 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 investigators.
1. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. 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
4. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
7. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Southern University at New Orleans
New Orleans, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,033
Cost of attendance
12,702
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 fire investigators
The hardest universities for fire investigators to get into are University of Tulsa, SUNY at Binghamton, and Syracuse University.
Some great schools for fire investigators 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 investigators 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. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
2. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
3. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
4. Providence College
Providence, RI • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,294
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,304
7. University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
56%
SAT average
1,300
8. American University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,320
9. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
10. University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,367
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for fire investigators
The easiest schools for fire investigators to get into are Nyack College, university of north texas at dallas, and holy family university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a fire investigator 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 investigators.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
3. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
4. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
5. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
9. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
10. Albertus Magnus College
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
931
Average fire investigator salary by education level
| Fire investigator education level | Fire investigator salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $62,083 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $67,087 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $68,283 |
Fire investigator education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common protective service questions.
Search for fire investigator jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025