Certificate (under 1 year)-6% vs national median686 grads tracked
Fire Protection at Austin Community College
Ranked 37th of 64 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Fire Protection by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$43,831
middle 50%: $29,406 – $57,357
Median · 5 years out
$66,990
middle 50%: $52,668 – $81,820
Median · 10 years out
$81,329
middle 50%: $63,377 – $99,289
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Fire Protection (certificate (under 1 year)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Austin Community College Fire Protection certificate holders earn $44k in year one. Median salaries reach $81k by year 10.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
6.4 yrs
≈ $7,410 total interest
Same major at other universities
Wharton County Junior College
$69,441 · 5 yrs out
Weatherford College
$68,154 · 5 yrs out
Del Mar College
$67,746 · 5 yrs out
Hill College
$67,607 · 5 yrs out
South Plains College
$67,403 · 5 yrs out
Richland Community College
$67,204 · 5 yrs out
Navarro College
$66,598 · 5 yrs out
Sauk Valley Community College
$66,438 · 5 yrs out
El Paso Community College
$65,717 · 5 yrs out
Aims Community College
$65,230 · 5 yrs out
Vernon College
$64,280 · 5 yrs out
Sinclair Community College
$64,207 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Austin Community College
Fire Protection (Associate)
$98,659 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Certificate)
$82,142 · 5 yrs out
Accounting and Related Services (Certificate)
$82,142 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$80,645 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Associate)
$80,472 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, General (Associate)
$80,472 · 5 yrs out
Computer Programming (Associate)
$77,093 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Certificate)
$75,704 · 5 yrs out
Geography and Cartography (Certificate)
$75,704 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$75,063 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Associate)
$74,729 · 5 yrs out
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate)
$74,643 · 5 yrs out
Related fields of study
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Compare universities
Homeland Security
Compare universities
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
Compare universities
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other
Compare universities
Security Science and Technology
Compare universities