Fire Protection at Hillsborough Community College

Florida's fire protection field pays less than the national average, with comparable programs in the state typically producing first-year earnings around $46,000—about $10,000 below what similar programs report nationally. Hillsborough's program uses national benchmarks for estimation since its graduate cohort is too small to report separately, suggesting first-year earnings near $56,000, though the state-specific reality shown by programs like Valencia College tells a different story.

The debt picture looks manageable either way. At an estimated $10,370—slightly above Florida's typical $8,000 for fire protection programs—graduates would face monthly payments around $115 on a standard plan. Whether earnings land closer to the state norm of $46,000 or the national figure of $56,000, that's a debt load most firefighters can handle, representing less than a quarter of first year income under either scenario.

The takeaway: This program appears affordable based on peer outcomes, but your child should verify starting salaries with Tampa-area fire departments before enrolling. Florida's fire protection wages lag behind national averages significantly, and local market conditions matter more than estimates drawn from programs nationwide. If Tampa follows the state pattern, expect lower earnings than the estimated figures suggest—though the modest debt keeps financial risk contained regardless.