Post job

Lieutenant fire fighter education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a lieutenant fire fighter. Lieutenant fire fighters usually study fire science and protection, business, or general studies. 36% of lieutenant fire fighters hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 65 real lieutenant fire fighter resumes to see exactly what lieutenant fire fighter education sections show.

The most common colleges for lieutenant fire fighters are the Franklin University and the Franklin University.

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

What education do you need to become a lieutenant fire fighter?

What degree do you need to be a lieutenant fire fighter?

The most common degree for lieutenant fire fighters is bachelor's degree, with 36% of lieutenant fire fighters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 23% and high school diploma degree at 23%.
  • Bachelor's, 36%
  • High School Diploma, 23%
  • Master's, 23%
  • Associate, 18%

What should I major in to become a lieutenant fire fighter?

You should major in fire science and protection to become a lieutenant fire fighter. 26% of lieutenant fire fighters major in fire science and protection. Other common majors for a lieutenant fire fighter include business and general studies.

Most common colleges for lieutenant fire fighters

Lieutenant fire fighters often get their degrees at Franklin University, SUNY College at Oswego, and Colorado Technical University. Here are the most common colleges for lieutenant fire fighters in the US based on their resumes.
Lieutenant fire fighter common collegePercentages
Franklin University6.25%
SUNY College at Oswego6.25%
Colorado Technical University6.25%
Illinois State University6.25%
Benedictine College6.25%

Best majors for lieutenant fire fighters

Best colleges for lieutenant fire fighters

The best colleges for lieutenant fire fighters are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

A lieutenant fire fighter with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for lieutenant fire fighters. 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 lieutenant fire fighters.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

8. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,099

Enrollment

21,404

9. University of Akron

Akron, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,463

Enrollment

13,676

10. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

20 best online courses for lieutenant fire fighters

Advertising disclosure

1. The Effect of Fires on People, Property and the Environment

coursera

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...

2. Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness

coursera

In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: (1) Identify the signs and symptoms associated with a patient in shock, to describe the major categories of shock, to assess a patient with signs of shock and formulate a plan for treatment to stabilize the patient for transport, (2) Identify a patient in cardiac arrest and to describe the components of high performance CPR...

3. Fire Safety: Become A Fire Safety Expert

udemy
4.3
(484)

Become an expert in Fire Safety, Fire Hazards Control, Fire Evacuation Plans, and Fire Risk Assessment...

4. Basic Fire Safety Awareness

udemy
4.3
(776)

Basic Fire Safety Awareness - Your Gateway towards Career in Fire Safety...

5. Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation

coursera

In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1) assess a basic medical patient 2) describe general pharmacologic principles and the skills associated with medication administration, 3) explain airway physiology, the assessment of the airway and available interventions for airway management, 4) identify, assess and formulate a plan to stabilize a patient with a...

6. Become an EMT

coursera

Health care is an exciting and ever growing profession that can take you many different directions. You can apply the fundamentals you learn here about emergent patient care, stabilization, and disease processes toward becoming an EMT or further health care pursuits. In this specialization you will learn to care for stable and unstable patients before they get to a hospital, how to identify time sensitive diseases, and medical and traumatic conditions that affect both adults and pediatric...

7. NEBOSH FIRE SAFETY

udemy
4.4
(252)

Managing Fire Safety in Workplace...

8. Fire Safety and Prevention Planning

udemy
4.4
(1,467)

Become an expert in understanding Fire Safety and Prevention Planning for your workplaces and organizations...

9. Foundations of Professional Identity

coursera

Many find themselves frustrated in their careers by lack of preparation for dealing with predictable dilemmas that regularly arise in the world of work. Two in five professionals fired in their jobs after college are terminated for lying, or misuse of technology. Easy to avoid! Or is it? What if you find you have to compromise your values to keep your job? What if they ask you to lie or cheat, even though you know if you are found out you will be fired? What if you find out the company is...

10. Mantaflow Fire & Smoke Simulation Guide in Blender

udemy
4.7
(335)

Learn everything there is to know about the Fire and Smoke Simulation in Blender!...

11. Sales Fire: B2B Sales & Business Development for Startups

udemy
4.6
(584)

The Ultimate Sales Methodology for Business Development & B2B Sales to Learn Sales Strategy, Sales Skills & Deal Closing...

12. Fire Starter Sessions Video Workshop with Danielle LaPorte

udemy
5
(1,189)

Strengthen your voice. Prioritize what's sacred. Define success — on your own terms. For Creatives & Entrepreneurs...

13. Occupational Health & Safety Training

udemy
4.4
(1,198)

Workplace Health and Safety Course For Employees & Managers...

14. Health & Safety Risk Assessment

udemy
4.4
(545)

Learn how to conduct a complete risk assessment in your workplace...

15. OSHA Workplace Safety (General Industry 6 Hr Class)

udemy
4.5
(2,583)

Learn the requirements and standards associated with OSHA and workplace safety. Safety best practices for the workplace...

16. Master the Craft of Artisan Pizza

udemy
4.5
(280)

Learn professional pizzarista techniques for making authentic, artisan pizza, in your domestic or wood fired oven...

17. Introduction to Medical Imaging

udemy
4.5
(827)

Your guide to the history, science, math, and economics of medical imaging systems (e.g., X-ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasound)...

18. Medical Writing for Healthcare Professionals

udemy
4.3
(757)

Launch your scientific and medical writing career today. Learn from an experienced medical writer!...

19. Advanced Process Control & Safety Instrumented Systems SIS

udemy
4.5
(783)

Learn how the main process equipment such as chemical reactors , pumps , compressors & heat exchangers are controlled...

20. A Specialty Approach to Learning Medical Billing and Coding

udemy
4.6
(352)

Volume One: Medical Hematology...

Top 10 most affordable universities for lieutenant fire fighters

The most affordable schools for lieutenant fire fighters are California State University - Long Beach, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - los angeles.

If the best universities for lieutenant fire fighters 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 lieutenant fire fighters.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

10. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for lieutenant fire fighters

The hardest universities for lieutenant fire fighters to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

Some great schools for lieutenant fire fighters 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 lieutenant fire fighters 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for lieutenant fire fighters

The easiest schools for lieutenant fire fighters to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, barry university, and notre dame college.

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

1. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

4. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

5. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

6. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

7. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

8. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

9. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

10. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

Average lieutenant fire fighter salary by education level

Lieutenant fire fighters with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $61,165 annually. With a Associate degree, lieutenant fire fighters earn a median annual income of $54,474 compared to $50,070 for lieutenant fire fighters with an High School Diploma degree.
Lieutenant fire fighter education levelLieutenant fire fighter salary
High School Diploma or Less$50,070
Bachelor's Degree$61,165
Some College/ Associate Degree$54,474

Lieutenant fire fighter education FAQs

Search for lieutenant fire fighter jobs

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.

Browse protective service jobs