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Public Safety & Security · Fire Protection Rank #16 of 20

Fire Protectionat University of Akron Main Campus

Graduates earn $49,582/yr in their first year — about 27.0% below the national Fire Protection average. Base-case 10-year earnings $546K; scenarios range from $502K to $549K depending on AI disruption.

Akron, OH Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
58 SOLID
58
Optimistic
49
Pessimistic
Earnings
$49,582
1-year post-graduation
ROI
11.3x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$546K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
35% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Akron Main Campus

University of Akron Main Campus's Fire Protection graduates start at $49,582/yr, trailing the $68,084 national average by 27%. The program's value hinges on affordability.

The 10.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 34% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $24,405 in median debt clears quickly against $49,582 in annual earnings.

At #16 out of 20 programs, University of Akron Main Campus's financial outcomes for Fire Protection trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $49,582 to $62,850 shows 27% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

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
$502K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score49/100
Earnings Multiple9.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$546K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score58/100
Earnings Multiple10.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$549K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score58/100
Earnings Multiple10.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Akron Main Campus'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 University of Akron Main Campus 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 University of Akron Main Campus

Other top programs at University of Akron Main Campus

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Akron Main Campus, 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 University of Akron Main Campus

How does University of Akron Main Campus's Fire Protection program score?

A score of 58/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but University of Akron Main Campus trails the majority of Fire Protection programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

Why are Fire Protection earnings lower at University of Akron Main Campus?

Lower starting pay at University of Akron Main Campus may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.