Best Online Associate in Fire Science Degree Programs

Badge for BEST ONLINE ASSOCIATE'S IN FIRE SCIENCE

Published: Aug 30, 2021
Updated: Feb 8, 2024

Find the best online associate in fire science degree programs for students who want to qualify to work as firefighters, forest fire inspectors, wildland fire ecologists, and more.

Top 10 Online Fire Science Bachelor's Degrees

St. Petersburg College
Keiser University
University of Akron
Idaho State University
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Cape Fear Community College
Volunteer State Community College
North Shore Community College
Johnson County Community College
Gaston College

University of Akron
Idaho State University
St. Petersburg College
Keiser University
Purdue Global
Hillsborough Community College
Schoolcraft College
College of Southern Idaho
Bucks County Community College
Gaston College

Keiser University 97%
University of Akron 83%

Purdue Global 26 to 1
Cape Fear Community College 24 to 1
Volunteer State Community College 24 to 1
Hillsborough Community College 23 to 1
Horry-Georgetown Technical College 23 to 1
St. Petersburg College 22 to 1
College of Southern Idaho 22 to 1
Schoolcraft College 21 to 1
Virginia Peninsula Community College 21 to 1
Tidewater Community College 20 to 1

Keiser University $23,248
University of Akron $10,097
Purdue Global $10,080
Bucks County Community College $7,920
Idaho State University $5,928
Horry-Georgetown Technical College $5,088
Schoolcraft College $4,888
Tidewater Community College $4,680
Virginia Peninsula Community College $4,680
College of Southern Idaho $4,560

Keiser University $30,032
Purdue Global $9,472
Idaho State University $8,601
University of Akron $7,958

Davidson-Davie Community College
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Horry-Georgetown Technical College
West Georgia Technical College
Purdue Global
Tidewater Community College
Lakeland Community College
Albany Technical College
Coastal Carolina Community College
Lanier Technical College

Davidson-Davie Community College
Virginia Peninsula Community College
Coastal Carolina Community College
North Shore Community College
Lanier Technical College
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Albany Technical College
Blue Ridge Community College
Paradise Valley Community College

University of Akron 83%
Keiser University 97%

Lakeland Community College 10 to 1
Paradise Valley Community College 11 to 1
North Shore Community College 12 to 1
Sandhills Community College 12 to 1
Mount Wachusett Community College 12 to 1
Albany Technical College 12 to 1
Gaston College 13 to 1
Idaho State University 13 to 1
Bucks County Community College 13 to 1
Coastal Carolina Community College 14 to 1

North Shore Community College $600
Mount Wachusett Community College $600
Hillsborough Community College $1,931
St. Petersburg College $1,943
Paradise Valley Community College $2,040
Davidson-Davie Community College $2,054
West Georgia Technical College $2,400
Johnson County Community College $2,400
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College $2,400
Albany Technical College $2,400

University of Akron $7,958
Idaho State University $8,601
Purdue Global $9,472
Keiser University $30,032

Key Takeaways

The associate degree in fire science is an affordable way to get started on your college education. The typical associate degree will take about two years to complete.

Many community colleges and two-year schools offer both traditional and online degree programs for students pursuing their associate degree in fire science.

Earning an online associate degree in fire science can prepare you for a variety of entry level jobs in your field. Many students also continue into a bachelor’s degree program in fire science or a related area.

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Fire Science Degrees

Students who earn an associate degree in fire science will learn how to battle fires and help the community while simultaneously earning a comprehensive general education. Fire science programs can also prepare students to work as fire science professionals in a variety of entry level roles for fire departments, emergency services, and other first-responder units.

The online fire science associate degree is an excellent starting point both for prospective students with an interest in fire behavior, fire investigation, fire safety, emergency management, and more. Fire science professionals may also benefit from the online fire science degree program. The best online fire science programs will typically provide leadership skills and practical knowledge for fire science professionals seeking to enhance their skills while still working in the field.

Students can complete the roughly 60-credit fire science degree degree program in about two years. The online fire science associate will include the same basic curriculum and content as the traditional fire science degree program.

Most online fire science programs will include both general education courses and core courses in fire sciences. Students will take courses on hazardous materials, emergency medical technology, fire department operations, fundamentals of fire prevention, wildfires, and fire dynamics. Whether pursuing your degree in fire science online or in person, your associate’s degree will likely prepare your to sit for the fire science certification and professional licensure in your state.

Graduates will qualify to work as firefighters, forest fire inspectors, wildland fire ecologists, and more. In order to work in a leadership role as a fire chief or in fire administration or emergency services management, you would likely need to earn a bachelor’s degree in fire sciences or a closely related area.

Prospective students who plan to continue their emergency services higher education at the bachelor’s degree level should pay close attention to the accreditation status of their their online associate degree. Getting a fire sciences associate degree online is a great option as long as it has received accreditation from the colleges and schools commission in your region. Any online associate fire sciences programs you’re considering should have this stamp of approval if you hope to transfer into an accredited four-year college.

How do we determine the best fire science associate degree programs?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Online Associate in Fire Science Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Students with Fire Science Degree

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Fire Science/Fire-fighting

Degree Level: Associate's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $5,400
Avg. Expenses*: $13,626
Avg. Starting Salary*: $53,687
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $62,316
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 4 years
Job Growth: 3.67%
Number of Jobs: 438,700
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Managers, All Other	3.35%	$106,040
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers	3.56%	$73,716
Fire Inspectors and Investigators	4.00%	$68,173
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary	-0.44%	$58,648
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists	16.67%	$51,194
Firefighters	3.59%	$48,671

Average Career Salaries

Bottom 10%	Median	Top 10%
$45,449	$69,724	$99,324

Promising Job Markets

State	Cost of Living	Avg. Salary
#2 Washington	7% higher than average	$99,813
#3 Illinois	7% higher than average	$85,413
#4 New York	5% higher than average	$94,530
#5 Ohio	14% higher than average	$77,728
#6 Oklahoma	13% higher than average	$75,817
#7 Texas	10% higher than average	$72,626
#8 Pennsylvania	5% higher than average	$76,887
#9 Missouri	16% higher than average	$66,391
#10 California	26% higher than average	$99,083
#11 Michigan	15% higher than average	$66,939
#12 Oregon	11% higher than average	$86,961
#13 Nebraska	6% higher than average	$73,383
#14 New Jersey	13% higher than average	$88,088
#15 Colorado	3% higher than average	$79,930
#16 Florida	6% higher than average	$72,479
#17 Iowa	9% higher than average	$68,138
#18 North Dakota	average	$74,158
#19 Indiana	11% higher than average	$65,660
#20 Virginia	5% higher than average	$70,072
#21 Nevada	5% higher than average	$76,425
#22 Minnesota	4% higher than average	$69,482
#23 Connecticut	18% higher than average	$83,555
#24 Maryland	18% higher than average	$83,292
#25 Idaho	7% higher than average	$65,026
#26 South Dakota	7% higher than average	$64,983
#27 Utah	4% higher than average	$66,302
#28 Montana	3% higher than average	$66,419
#29 Arizona	5% higher than average	$64,596
#30 Wisconsin	7% higher than average	$62,433
#31 Wyoming	2% higher than average	$65,094
#32 Kansas	9% higher than average	$60,289
#33 Hawaii	40% higher than average	$91,679
#34 North Carolina	11% higher than average	$57,471
#35 Tennessee	14% higher than average	$55,461
#36 New Hampshire	13% higher than average	$72,499
#37 District of Columbia	49% higher than average	$95,812
#38 Delaware	2% higher than average	$64,406
#39 Alaska	23% higher than average	$76,519
#40 Alabama	13% higher than average	$53,814
#41 South Carolina	8% higher than average	$56,887
#42 Massachusetts	24% higher than average	$76,357
#43 New Mexico	7% higher than average	$57,110
#44 Georgia	13% higher than average	$52,301
#45 Rhode Island	20% higher than average	$71,808
#46 Vermont	13% higher than average	$65,821
#47 Kentucky	14% higher than average	$49,578
#48 Louisiana	9% higher than average	$52,246
#49 Arkansas	16% higher than average	$48,508
#50 West Virginia	11% higher than average	$48,312
#51 Mississippi	18% higher than average	$44,476
#52 Maine	9% higher than average	$55,474

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Managers, All Other	$106,040
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers	$73,716
Fire Inspectors and Investigators	$68,173
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary	$58,648
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists	$51,194
Firefighters	$48,671

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Not sure if an online associate’s degree in fire science is for you? Check out our rankings of the best online associate’s degrees in human resources, software development, or human services.

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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Best Online Associate in Fire Science Degree Programs

Top 10 Online Fire Science Bachelor's Degrees

Key Takeaways

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Fire Science Degrees

What do you learn when getting an associate in fire science?

How long does it take to get an associate in fire science?

What kinds of courses will you take when getting an associate in fire science?

What can you do with an associate in fire science?

Best Online Associate in Fire Science Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at St. Petersburg College

Online Degrees

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at University of Akron

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Idaho State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Fayetteville Technical Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Cape Fear Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Volunteer State Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at North Shore Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Johnson County Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Gaston College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Hillsborough Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Bucks County Community College

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Virginia Peninsula Community College

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Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Casper College

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Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Alamance Community College

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Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Blue Ridge Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Sandhills Community College

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Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Arizona Western College

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Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Schoolcraft College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Mount Wachusett Community College

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Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Paradise Valley Community College

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Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at College of Southern Idaho

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Lanier Technical College

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Coastal Carolina Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Albany Technical College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Lakeland Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Tidewater Community College

Online Degrees

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at West Georgia Technical College

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Horry-Georgetown Technical College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Fire Science degree at Davidson-Davie Community College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Students with Fire Science Degree

Fire Science/Fire-fighting

Degree Level: Associate's

Career Salaries