Fire Protection (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Jefferson Community and Technical College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$47,024

Est. from national median (25 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$9,557

Est. from national median (15 programs)

Analysis

A $47,000 starting salary against less than $10,000 in debt creates one of the more favorable financial profiles in community college career training. Fire protection certificates typically lead directly to municipal firefighter positions or fire safety inspector roles, and based on national peer programs, the debt burden here represents just 20% of first-year earnings—well below the threshold where loan payments become problematic.

The challenge with this program is the limited data visibility. Neither Jefferson Community nor other Kentucky fire protection programs report enough graduate outcomes for the Department of Education to publish school-specific results, making it difficult to assess how this particular certificate performs against the 14 other programs in the state. Fire protection training quality varies significantly based on equipment access, live-fire training facilities, and connections to local fire departments—factors that won't show up in these estimated figures.

For families considering this path, the relatively low debt estimate is encouraging, but the real due diligence involves calling local fire departments to ask which programs their recent hires completed. Municipal hiring preferences matter more than earnings estimates in this field, and those connections often determine whether graduates land positions quickly or struggle to break in.

Where Jefferson Community and Technical College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Fire Protection certificate's programs at top institutions nationally

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Jefferson Community and Technical CollegeLouisville	$4,706	$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 Jefferson Community and Technical College, approximately 29% 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.