Location: Shelby, NC•In-State Tuition: $2,602•Out-of-State Tuition: $8,746
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$47,024
Est. from national median (25 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$9,557
Est. from national median (15 programs)

Analysis

Cleveland Community College's Fire Protection certificate operates in a field where concrete outcomes data is scarce—few programs nationally report enough graduates to generate verified figures. Based on what similar fire protection programs show nationally, students typically earn around $47,000 in their first year and carry roughly $9,600 in debt. That 0.20 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment: graduates would dedicate about 20% of first-year income to debt service, well below the concerning threshold where education loans become crushing.

The challenge here is uncertainty rather than poor fundamentals. Fire protection is a specialized field with relatively stable career paths—firefighters, inspectors, and emergency management roles—but Cleveland's program lacks the verified graduate outcomes that would confirm whether their specific curriculum and regional connections deliver on those national patterns. With 48% of students receiving Pell grants, the school serves a population where even modest missteps in program quality matter significantly.

For parents, this means weighing a reasonable-looking estimate against an information gap. If your child has strong connections to fire departments or emergency services in the Shelby area, the program's low debt load limits downside risk even if outcomes fall short of projections. But given the abundance of fire protection programs statewide (17 in North Carolina alone), prioritize schools with verified graduate data unless Cleveland offers specific advantages—location, scheduling, or direct hiring pipelines—that other programs can't match.

Where Cleveland Community College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all fire protection certificate's programs nationally

Cleveland Community College (estimated ±10%)Other fire protection programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Fire Protection certificate's programs at top institutions nationally

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Cleveland Community CollegeShelby$2,602$47,024*—$9,557*—
Southwestern Illinois CollegeBelleville$3,870$77,935*$70,937$12,750*0.16
St Petersburg CollegeSt. Petersburg$2,682$55,829*—$9,557*0.17
Lamar Institute of TechnologyBeaumont$2,844$55,778*——*—
Northwest Florida State CollegeNiceville$3,246$52,856*——*—
Modesto Junior CollegeModesto$1,270$50,364*——*—
National Median—$47,024*—$9,557*0.20
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with fire protection graduates

Fire Inspectors and Investigators

Inspect buildings to detect fire hazards and enforce local ordinances and state laws, or investigate and gather facts to determine cause of fires and explosions.

$75,480/yrJobs growth:

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists

Enforce fire regulations, inspect forest for fire hazards, and recommend forest fire prevention or control measures. May report forest fires and weather conditions.

$75,480/yrJobs growth:

Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach vocational courses intended to provide occupational training below the baccalaureate level in subjects such as construction, mechanics/repair, manufacturing, transportation, or cosmetology, primarily to students who have graduated from or left high school. Teaching takes place in public or private schools whose primary business is academic or vocational education.

$62,910/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Firefighters

Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.

$59,530/yrJobs growth:Postsecondary nondegree award

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Loss Prevention Managers

Plan and direct policies, procedures, or systems to prevent the loss of assets. Determine risk exposure or potential liability, and develop risk control measures.

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Cleveland Community College, approximately 48% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 25 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.