FIRE SCIENCE DEGREE PROGRAMS IN MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi is home to approximately 3,000 firefighters, 100 fire inspectors and investigators, and 2,060 EMTs and paramedics working out of more than 400 fire stations in the state. These fire service professionals put their lives on the line everyday, striving to prevent and protect fires from harming state residents, land, and property.

The yearly salary for fire service personnel varies depending on location, experience, education, and expertise. Firefighters with higher education are certifications have potential in expanding their job options. See below for a quick glance at average annual wages for firefighters, fire inspectors and investigators, and fire service supervisors at the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentile in Mississippi.

FIRE SCIENCE DEGREE OPTIONS IN MISSISSIPPI

Aspiring firefighters in Mississippi must earn a fire science certification by finishing basic courses and passing standard tests before becoming an entry-level firefighter. Firefighters wishing to go beyond entry-level have the option of earning an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree for more competitive career options.

Meridian Community College is a college in Mississippi that offers an excellent fire science program. Students can earn either certificates or degrees, depending on their career goals. The associate degree will require students to take general education classes like math and English, in addition to career-oriented classes like fire chemistry and history of fire science. General education courses are designed to help students develop strong reasoning and communication skills, which come in handy in the workplace. Students can also choose to pursue their fire science degree online by taking classes through Mississippi Virtual Community College.

MISSISSIPPI’S FIRE SCIENCE COLLEGES

Mississippi is home to a couple colleges with fire science technical certificates and degree options. Explore them and find your perfect fit from our list below:

FIRE SCIENCE: ONLINE LEARNING

Because Mississippi does not have many schools that offer fire science certification or degree options, it has distance learning as an option for students. Mississippi Virtual Community College and Meridian Community College both have online classes for enrolled students looking to further their knowledge in the firefighting field. Those looking to pursue an associate degree or higher will benefit from online learning, because there are many online colleges out-of-state that offer excellent fire science programs.

Because fire science is a very hands-on field, it is critical for aspiring firefighters to get hands-on experience. If it’s not meeting on-campus to perform mandatory tasks in-person to complete a class, students should definitely reach out to their local fire department to see if there are any volunteer or internship opportunities available for them to gain real-life experience while working with other firefighting peers.