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Fire lieutenant education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a fire lieutenant. Fire lieutenants usually study fire science and protection, medical technician, or business. 38% of fire lieutenants hold a associate degree, and 33% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 389 real fire lieutenant resumes to see exactly what fire lieutenant education sections show.

The most common colleges for fire lieutenants are the Columbia Southern University and the Columbia Southern University.

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

What education do you need to become a fire lieutenant?

What degree do you need to be a fire lieutenant?

The most common degree for fire lieutenants is associate degree, with 38% of fire lieutenants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 33% and bachelor's degree degree at 18%.
  • Associate, 38%
  • Bachelor's, 33%
  • High School Diploma, 18%
  • Master's, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a fire lieutenant?

You should major in fire science and protection to become a fire lieutenant. 40% of fire lieutenants major in fire science and protection. Other common majors for a fire lieutenant include medical technician and business.

Most common colleges for fire lieutenants

Fire lieutenants often get their degrees at Columbia Southern University, George Washington University, The, and Miami Dade College. Here are the most common colleges for fire lieutenants in the US based on their resumes.
Fire lieutenant common collegePercentages
Columbia Southern University14.58%
George Washington University, The8.33%
Miami Dade College6.25%
Southern Illinois University Carbondale6.25%
University of New Haven6.25%

Best majors for fire lieutenants

Best colleges for fire lieutenants

The best colleges for fire lieutenants are Northwestern University, Boston University, and George Washington University, The.

A fire lieutenant 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 lieutenants. 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 lieutenants.

1. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

2. University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Lincoln, NE • Private

In-state tuition

$9,242

Enrollment

20,592

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

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. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

7. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

9. Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$27,124

Enrollment

2,035

10. University of Akron

Akron, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,463

Enrollment

13,676

20 best online courses for fire lieutenants

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20. Basic Certificate in Health Safety & Environment-HSE Level 2

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Top 10 most affordable universities for fire lieutenants

The most affordable schools for fire lieutenants are SUNY Farmingdale, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for fire lieutenants 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 lieutenants.

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 - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for fire lieutenants

The hardest universities for fire lieutenants to get into are Northwestern University, Boston University, and George Washington University, The.

Some great schools for fire lieutenants 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 lieutenants 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

3. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

6. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

10. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

Admissions rate

50%

SAT average

1,284

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for fire lieutenants

The easiest schools for fire lieutenants to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, holy family university, and la roche college.

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

1. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

2. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

3. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

4. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

7. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

8. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

9. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

10. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

Average fire lieutenant salary by education level

According to our data, fire lieutenants with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $65,609 annually. Fire lieutenants with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $58,419.
Fire lieutenant education levelFire lieutenant salary
High School Diploma or Less$53,687
Bachelor's Degree$65,609
Some College/ Associate Degree$58,419

Fire lieutenant 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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