Fire Protection at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

Cincinnati State's Fire Protection program reports extraordinary first-year earnings of $91,944—nearly double the national median for this field. That 0.07 debt-to-earnings ratio is exceptional, meaning graduates owe less than a month's salary. The catch? These numbers come from a very small graduating class, which means they could shift dramatically year to year.

Even accounting for that uncertainty, the fundamentals look strong. Fire protection is a field where local demand matters enormously, and Cincinnati's industrial base and metropolitan footprint create solid opportunities. The $6,125 debt load is manageable enough that even if actual earnings prove lower than this snapshot suggests, graduates won't be financially constrained. The program performs at the 60th percentile within Ohio—respectable, though not exceptional—while the debt burden ranks among the lowest in the state.

For families willing to accept some statistical uncertainty, this represents a low-risk path to a stable career. The minimal debt means graduates can afford to take jobs focused on building experience rather than chasing the highest starting salary. Just don't anchor too heavily to that $91,944 figure—the small sample size means individual circumstances (perhaps a few graduates who already had fire service experience) may be inflating the numbers.