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Public Safety & Security · Fire Protection Rank #5 of 20

Fire Protectionat American Public University System

Graduates earn $73,302/yr in their first year — about 8.0% above the national Fire Protection average. Base-case 10-year earnings $600K; scenarios range from $546K to $605K depending on AI disruption.

Charles Town, WV Private for-profit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
72 STRONG
72
Optimistic
66
Pessimistic
Earnings
$73,302
1-year post-graduation
ROI
23.1x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$600K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
35% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at American Public University System

American Public University System’s Fire Protection program stands out because it caters exceptionally well to working professionals, particularly those already in the fire service or related emergency management fields. Its online structure provides the flexibility necessary for individuals to advance their education without interrupting their careers. This model means many students are already gaining valuable experience while they learn, directly contributing to the strong career progression and higher-level roles you see in the data.

You'll find graduates moving into supervisory positions within municipal departments, specialized roles in industrial safety for corporations, or even federal agencies. The program's reputation within this niche attracts a national cohort, providing valuable networking opportunities with experienced professionals across diverse jurisdictions. The curriculum likely emphasizes leadership, incident command, and risk assessment, preparing you for the critical decision-making required in these advanced roles. To maximize your outcome, actively engage with your online peers and pursue relevant professional certifications alongside your degree.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$546K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple16.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$600K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple17.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$605K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple18.0x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to American Public University System's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Fire Protection graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
2
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
+3.4% 10-yr growth · 6,500 openings/yr
$92,430/yr
Moderate
3
Fire inspectors and investigators
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 1,500 openings/yr
$78,060/yr
Low
4
Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
+0.7% 10-yr growth · 8,800 openings/yr
$61,490/yr
Moderate
5
Firefighters
+3.4% 10-yr growth · 27,100 openings/yr
$59,530/yr
Low
6
Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
+14.6% 10-yr growth · 300 openings/yr
$52,380/yr
Low
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Fire Protection

How American Public University System stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
IL · Public
64
DW Score
$104K
1-yr earn
18.6x
ROI
Waldorf University
IA · Private for-profit
68
DW Score
$98K
1-yr earn
8.9x
ROI
Purdue University Global
IN · Public
74
DW Score
$90K
1-yr earn
20.6x
ROI
University of Florida-Online
FL · Public
65
DW Score
$87K
1-yr earn
54.9x
ROI
Top score
Columbia Southern University
AL · Private for-profit
75
DW Score
$83K
1-yr earn
36.8x
ROI
Also at American Public University System

Other top programs at American Public University System

Other highest-scoring programs offered at American Public University System, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Fire Protection offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Fire Protection trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Fire Protection at American Public University System

What does a 72/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Fire Protection at American Public University System?

At 72/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.

Is American Public University System one of the best schools for Fire Protection?

Among 20 Fire Protection programs, American Public University System's #5 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.