State fire marshal education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a state fire marshal. State fire marshals usually study fire science and protection, business, or criminal justice. 51% of state fire marshals hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 163 real state fire marshal resumes to see exactly what state fire marshal education sections show.

The most common colleges for state fire marshals are the Florida State University and the Florida State University.

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

What education do you need to become a state fire marshal?

What degree do you need to be a state fire marshal?

The most common degree for state fire marshals is bachelor's degree, with 51% of state fire marshals earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 30% and associate degree degree at 9%.

Bachelor's, 51%

Associate, 30%

Master's, 9%

Diploma, 3%

Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a state fire marshal?

You should major in fire science and protection to become a state fire marshal. 29% of state fire marshals major in fire science and protection. Other common majors for a state fire marshal include business and criminal justice.

Fire Science And Protection, 29%

Business, 13%

Criminal Justice, 13%

Management, 5%

Other Majors, 40%

Most common colleges for state fire marshals

State fire marshals often get their degrees at Florida State University, Linfield College, and University of South Carolina - Aiken. Here are the most common colleges for state fire marshals in the US based on their resumes.

State fire marshal common college	Percentages
Florida State University	10.34%
Linfield College	6.90%
University of South Carolina - Aiken	6.90%
Austin Community College	6.90%
Eastern Kentucky University	6.90%

Show more common state fire marshal colleges

Best majors for state fire marshals

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Fire Science And Protection	29.1%
2	Business	12.7%
3	Criminal Justice	12.7%
4	Management	5.1%
5	Law Enforcement	5.1%

Show more common state fire marshal majors

Best colleges for state fire marshals

The best colleges for state fire marshals are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

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

1. University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Lincoln, NE • Private

In-state tuition

$9,242

Enrollment

20,592

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

3. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

4. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

5. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$30,346

Enrollment

1,903

6. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

7. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Enrollment

9,394

8. Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$27,124

Enrollment

2,035

9. University of Akron

Akron, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,463

Enrollment

13,676

10. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Enrollment

24,163

20 best online courses for state fire marshals

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Top 10 most affordable universities for state fire marshals

The most affordable schools for state fire marshals are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - los angeles.

If the best universities for state fire marshals 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 state fire marshals.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

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. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

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. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

8. 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

9. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for state fire marshals

The hardest universities for state fire marshals to get into are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for state fire marshals 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 state fire marshals 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. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

4. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

5. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

6. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

Admissions rate

50%

SAT average

1,284

7. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

8. University of Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,300

9. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for state fire marshals

The easiest schools for state fire marshals to get into are Notre Dame College, nyack college, and gwynedd mercy university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a state fire marshal 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 state fire marshals.

1. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

2. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

3. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

5. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

6. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

7. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

8. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

9. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

Average state fire marshal salary by education level

State fire marshals with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $56,440 annually. With a Associate degree, state fire marshals earn a median annual income of $50,105 compared to $45,948 for state fire marshals with an High School Diploma degree.

State fire marshal education level	State fire marshal salary
High School Diploma or Less	$45,948
Bachelor's Degree	$56,440
Some College/ Associate Degree	$50,105

State fire marshal education FAQs

What is the best college for State Fire Marshals?

Have more questions? See all answers to common protective service questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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