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Fire protection engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a fire protection engineer. Fire protection engineers usually study mechanical engineering, fire science and protection, or engineering technology. 70% of fire protection engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 540 real fire protection engineer resumes to see exactly what fire protection engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for fire protection engineers are the University of Maryland - College Park and the University of Maryland - College Park.
There are also many online fire protection engineer courses to help get the education required to be a fire protection engineer.
There are certain fire protection engineer certifications that you should consider. These fire protection engineer certifications include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS).
What education do you need to become a fire protection engineer?
What degree do you need to be a fire protection engineer?
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Master's, 12%
- Associate, 11%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a fire protection engineer?
- Engineering, 6%
- Other Majors, 33%
Most common colleges for fire protection engineers
| Fire protection engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Maryland - College Park | 25.00% |
| Oklahoma State University | 15.18% |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 12.50% |
| University of New Haven | 5.36% |
| University of Houston | 3.57% |
Best majors for fire protection engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 27.9% |
| 2 | Fire Science And Protection | 26.7% |
| 3 | Engineering Technology | 6.5% |
| 4 | Engineering | 6.5% |
| 5 | Civil Engineering | 4.9% |
Best colleges for fire protection engineers
The best colleges for fire protection engineers are Northwestern University, California Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University.
A fire protection engineer 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 protection engineers. 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 protection engineers.
1. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
2. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
5. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Lincoln, NE • Private
In-state tuition
$9,242
Enrollment
20,592
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
8. University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,000
Enrollment
25,973
9. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
10. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
20 best online courses for fire protection engineers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for fire protection engineers
The most affordable schools for fire protection engineers are University of Florida, california state university - los angeles, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for fire protection engineers 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 protection engineers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. 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
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo
Arecibo, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,872
Cost of attendance
13,476
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon
Bayamon, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
13,508
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. Brigham Young University - Idaho
Rexburg, ID • Private
In-state tuition
$4,118
Cost of attendance
12,223
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for fire protection engineers
The hardest universities for fire protection engineers to get into are Northwestern University, California Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for fire protection engineers 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 protection engineers 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. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
8. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for fire protection engineers
The easiest schools for fire protection engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, saint martin's university, and cleveland state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a fire protection engineer 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 protection engineers.
1. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
2. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
3. Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,111
4. University of New Haven
West Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,129
5. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
1,031
6. University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,050
7. Brigham Young University - Idaho
Rexburg, ID • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,140
8. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
9. Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,080
10. Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, MO • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,117
Average fire protection engineer salary by education level
| Fire protection engineer education level | Fire protection engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $95,874 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $85,472 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $72,174 |
Fire protection engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025