Fire Protection at Great Oaks Career Campuses

At $41,000 in first-year earnings, this fire protection certificate produces graduates earning about $6,000 less than the state median and $3,000 below what Butler Tech achieves just up the road. While the 40th percentile ranking among Ohio programs suggests this is roughly middle-of-the-pack for the state, it's concerning that graduates here earn significantly less than peers at comparable career training centers in the region. The debt load of $8,000 is reasonable and matches the state median, but you're paying the same amount for a program that delivers notably lower earnings.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.19 means graduates would dedicate less than three months of their first-year salary to paying off loans—that's manageable. But fire protection is supposed to be a solid career path with clear earning potential, and starting $6,000 below where comparable Ohio programs land their graduates adds up quickly over time. Given that Butler Tech achieves 14% higher starting salaries for the same credential in the same state, the value proposition here is hard to defend.

If your child is committed to firefighting and this program offers unique scheduling or location advantages, the debt won't be crushing. But parents should know their student could likely do better elsewhere in Ohio for the same upfront cost.