Fire Science programs in California
119 fire science programs at 63 California schools are in the federal data. Where earnings are reported (4 programs), the state median is $53,012 one year after completion, about the same as the national median of $52,616. Median borrower debt is $11,212.
119programs
63schools
$53,012median 1-yr earnings
$11,212median debt
| School | City | Program | Credential | Completers/yr | 1-yr earnings | Median debt | Monthly payment* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shasta College | Redding, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 198 | $62,997 | – | – |
| Butte College | Oroville, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 85 | $53,409 | $6,500 | $74 |
| Santa Ana College | Santa Ana, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 306 | $52,616 | $15,924 | $181 |
| Mt San Antonio College | Walnut, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 70 | $46,120 | – | – |
| Allan Hancock College | Santa Maria, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 60 | not reported | – | – |
| Allan Hancock College | Santa Maria, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 32 | not reported | – | – |
| American River College | Sacramento, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 9 | not reported | – | – |
| American River College | Sacramento, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 18 | not reported | – | – |
| Antelope Valley Community College District | Lancaster, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 11 | not reported | – | – |
| Antelope Valley Community College District | Lancaster, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 12 | not reported | – | – |
| Bakersfield College | Bakersfield, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 25 | not reported | – | – |
| Bakersfield College | Bakersfield, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 51 | not reported | – | – |
| Butte College | Oroville, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 24 | not reported | – | – |
| Cabrillo College | Aptos, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | – | not reported | – | – |
| Cabrillo College | Aptos, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 19 | not reported | – | – |
| College of the Canyons | Santa Clarita, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 20 | not reported | – | – |
| College of the Canyons | Santa Clarita, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 34 | not reported | – | – |
| Chabot College | Hayward, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 3 | not reported | – | – |
| Chabot College | Hayward, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 7 | not reported | – | – |
| Chaffey College | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 25 | not reported | – | – |
| Chaffey College | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 28 | not reported | – | – |
| City College of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 36 | not reported | – | – |
| City College of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 8 | not reported | – | – |
| Columbia College | Sonora, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 68 | not reported | – | – |
| Columbia College | Sonora, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 20 | not reported | – | – |
| Compton College | Compton, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Cosumnes River College | Sacramento, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Cosumnes River College | Sacramento, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Crafton Hills College | Yucaipa, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 53 | not reported | – | – |
| Crafton Hills College | Yucaipa, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 31 | not reported | – | – |
| College of the Desert | Palm Desert, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 19 | not reported | – | – |
| College of the Desert | Palm Desert, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 9 | not reported | – | – |
| East Los Angeles College | Monterey Park, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 180 | not reported | – | – |
| East Los Angeles College | Monterey Park, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 20 | not reported | – | – |
| El Camino Community College District | Torrance, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 12 | not reported | – | – |
| El Camino Community College District | Torrance, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 24 | not reported | – | – |
| Fresno City College | Fresno, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 73 | not reported | – | – |
| Fresno City College | Fresno, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 17 | not reported | – | – |
| Gavilan College | Gilroy, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Glendale Community College | Glendale, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 15 | not reported | – | – |
| Glendale Community College | Glendale, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 8 | not reported | – | – |
| Imperial Valley College | Imperial, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 24 | not reported | – | – |
| Imperial Valley College | Imperial, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 4 | not reported | – | – |
| Reedley College | Reedley, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 15 | not reported | – | – |
| Reedley College | Reedley, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Lake Tahoe Community College | South Lake Tahoe, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 5 | not reported | – | – |
| Lake Tahoe Community College | South Lake Tahoe, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 6 | not reported | – | – |
| Lassen Community College | Susanville, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 8 | not reported | – | – |
| Lassen Community College | Susanville, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 5 | not reported | – | – |
| Long Beach City College | Long Beach, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | – | not reported | – | – |
| Long Beach City College | Long Beach, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 41 | not reported | – | – |
| Los Angeles Harbor College | Wilmington, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Los Angeles Harbor College | Wilmington, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Los Angeles Valley College | Valley Glen, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Los Angeles Valley College | Valley Glen, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 8 | not reported | – | – |
| Los Medanos College | Pittsburg, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 22 | not reported | – | – |
| Los Medanos College | Pittsburg, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 31 | not reported | – | – |
| Mendocino College | Ukiah, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Merced College | Merced, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Merced College | Merced, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Merritt College | Oakland, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 4 | not reported | – | – |
| Merritt College | Oakland, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 4 | not reported | – | – |
| Mission College | Santa Clara, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Mission College | Santa Clara, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 41 | not reported | – | – |
| Modesto Junior College | Modesto, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 25 | not reported | – | – |
| Modesto Junior College | Modesto, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 14 | not reported | – | – |
| Monterey Peninsula College | Monterey, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 31 | not reported | – | – |
| Monterey Peninsula College | Monterey, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Mt San Antonio College | Walnut, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 30 | not reported | – | – |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District | San Jacinto, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 3 | not reported | – | – |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District | San Jacinto, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 13 | not reported | – | – |
| Oxnard College | Oxnard, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 88 | not reported | – | – |
| Oxnard College | Oxnard, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 35 | not reported | – | – |
| Palo Verde College | Blythe, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Palo Verde College | Blythe, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | – | not reported | – | – |
| Palomar College | San Marcos, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 148 | not reported | – | – |
| Palomar College | San Marcos, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 60 | not reported | – | – |
| Pasadena City College | Pasadena, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Pasadena City College | Pasadena, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Porterville College | Porterville, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 5 | not reported | – | – |
| Santa Ana College | Santa Ana, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 53 | not reported | – | – |
| Rio Hondo College | Whittier, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 179 | not reported | – | – |
| Rio Hondo College | Whittier, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 89 | not reported | – | – |
| Riverside City College | Riverside, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| San Diego Miramar College | San Diego, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 4 | not reported | – | – |
| San Diego Miramar College | San Diego, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 24 | not reported | – | – |
| San Joaquin Delta College | Stockton, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| San Joaquin Delta College | Stockton, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| College of San Mateo | San Mateo, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 3 | not reported | – | – |
| College of San Mateo | San Mateo, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 8 | not reported | – | – |
| Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 86 | not reported | – | – |
| Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 21 | not reported | – | – |
| College of the Sequoias | Visalia, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 53 | not reported | – | – |
| College of the Sequoias | Visalia, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 14 | not reported | – | – |
| Shasta College | Redding, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Sierra College | Rocklin, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 92 | not reported | – | – |
| Sierra College | Rocklin, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 47 | not reported | – | – |
| College of the Siskiyous | Weed, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 24 | not reported | – | – |
| College of the Siskiyous | Weed, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 5 | not reported | – | – |
| Solano Community College | Fairfield, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Solano Community College | Fairfield, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 17 | not reported | – | – |
| Southwestern College | Chula Vista, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 5 | not reported | – | – |
| Southwestern College | Chula Vista, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 9 | not reported | – | – |
| Victor Valley College | Victorville, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 170 | not reported | – | – |
| Victor Valley College | Victorville, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 17 | not reported | – | – |
| West Los Angeles College | Culver City, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 4 | not reported | – | – |
| West Los Angeles College | Culver City, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 4 | not reported | – | – |
| West Valley College | Saratoga, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | – | not reported | – | – |
| Yuba College | Marysville, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 11 | not reported | – | – |
| Yuba College | Marysville, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 15 | not reported | – | – |
| Las Positas College | Livermore, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 21 | not reported | – | – |
| Las Positas College | Livermore, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 37 | not reported | – | – |
| Copper Mountain Community College | Joshua Tree, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Copper Mountain Community College | Joshua Tree, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Santiago Canyon College | Orange, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | – | not reported | – | – |
| Folsom Lake College | Folsom, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Folsom Lake College | Folsom, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Moreno Valley College | Moreno Valley, CA | Fire Protection | Certificate | 101 | not reported | – | – |
| Moreno Valley College | Moreno Valley, CA | Fire Protection | Associate degree | 30 | not reported | – | – |
*Scorecard's estimated monthly payment on the median debt over 10 years. “Not reported” means the Department suppressed or did not publish the figure.
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Fire Science programs by city in California
Before you choose a fire science school in California
Firefighters usually pass a department's own academy and exams; a degree or certificate can help promotion and inspector roles but rarely guarantees hiring.
- Does the program include a recognized fire academy or EMT certification?
- How do local departments view the credential?
- What is the cost compared with department-paid academies?
More programs in California
All California programs · Fire Science & Protection nationwide
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study and Institution files (release dated 10/15/2026). Earnings are median annual earnings of completers working and not enrolled one year after finishing; debt is median federal loan debt of borrowers; both describe past cohorts and small programs are suppressed by the Department. See our methodology.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best-paying fire science program in California?
By reported one-year earnings, Shasta College leads at $62,997 in the certificate program, but compare cost and local jobs too.
How many fire science programs are in California?
The Scorecard lists 119 certificate or associate programs in this field at 63 schools in California.