Fire Protection at St Petersburg College

St. Petersburg, FL · Public · Certificate

enrolling 18,759 students in St. Petersburg, FL.

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $55,829 at St Petersburg College come in 9% above the national median of $51,103 for Fire Protection programs.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 217.8x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Fire Protection programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Fire Protection's career paths, with 34% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 0% gap from the optimistic case.

With first-year pay of $55,829 far exceeding the $7,367 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #3 of 37 programs, St Petersburg College's Fire Protection program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Fire Protection offers 16 registered apprenticeship pathways — an unusually broad set of earn-while-you-learn alternatives to the classroom track.

80 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
76
Low End
80
Score
81
High End
Earnings $55,829/yr (9% vs median)
AI-Proof Resilient (66% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (150,900 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$584K
1.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
217.8x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
6 of 6
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$2,682
Out-of-state: $9,286
Median Debt at Graduation
$7,367
1.6 months of Year 1 earnings

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Fire Protection graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Managers, all other $136,550 +4.5% 53%
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers $92,430 +3.4% 58%
Fire inspectors and investigators $78,060 +3.8% 71%
Managers, all other
$136,550
+4.5% growth 53% AI-proof
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
$92,430
+3.4% growth 58% AI-proof
Fire inspectors and investigators
$78,060
+3.8% growth 71% AI-proof

View all 6 career paths with full salary data →

Fire Protection Career Guide

Explore what Fire Protection graduates do, from entry-level roles to long-term career paths across 37 programs nationwide.

Read the full Fire Protection career guide →

Compare & Explore

Fire Protection Overview

Fire Protection at Other Schools

Other Majors at St Petersburg College

Explore the Degree Alternative

Not sure if a trade program or four-year degree fits better? Compare both paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does St Petersburg College's Fire Protection program score?
A score of 80/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. St Petersburg College's Fire Protection graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How affordable is Fire Protection at St Petersburg College?
Median debt of just $7,367 against $55,829/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 2 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Can I learn Fire Protection through an apprenticeship instead of St Petersburg College?
There are 16 registered apprenticeships connected to Fire Protection occupations, such as Arson And Bomb Investigator and Fire Apparatus Engineer. The earn-while-you-learn model means no tuition debt and immediate income, though the training period is typically longer.
How many job openings are there for Fire Protection graduates?
Job availability for Fire Protection is strong — 150,900 positions open annually across the mapped career paths. For St Petersburg College graduates specifically, local market conditions in FL may shift the picture.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →