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Fire Protection at Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, KY · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $66,617/yr (-2% vs median)

AI Risk Moderate (34% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (150,900 openings/yr)

ROI 14.3x earnings multiple (7.0x out-of-state)

Ranked #8 of 20 Fire Protection programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Fire Protection graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$585K	$581K	$531K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	14.4x	14.3x	13.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	7.0x	7.0x	6.4x
Probability of Field Employment	34%	32%	26%
DegreeOutlook Score	69	68	62

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$40,520

Out-of-state: $83,280 (7.0x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$39,848

2% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$27,000

4.9 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$75,018

13% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Eastern Kentucky University's Fire Protection program produces graduates earning $66,617/yr — within striking distance of the $68,084 national average for this field.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 14.3x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Fire Protection programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Fire Protection's typical career paths, with 34% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 9% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $27,000 in median debt clears quickly against $66,617 in annual earnings.

At #8 of 20 Fire Protection programs, Eastern Kentucky University scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Five-year earnings of $75,018 are relatively flat compared to the $66,617 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

About Eastern Kentucky University

A 78% acceptance rate means Eastern Kentucky University is accessible to most applicants, enrolling 11,674 students in Richmond, KY.

See all programs and financial aid at Eastern Kentucky University →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr

First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers $92,430/yr

Fire inspectors and investigators $78,060/yr

View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Fire Protection at Other Schools

Other Majors at Eastern Kentucky University

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Fire Protection at Eastern Kentucky University?

A score of 68/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Fire Protection field.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →