Fire Protection at SUNY Broome Community College
NY · Associate's Degree · CIP 43.02
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Fire Protection degree from SUNY Broome Community College earn a median salary of $50,919 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $38,575. The degree typically pays for itself in 11 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$39,884
Typical Career
$50,919
Top Performers
$75,586
Estimated break-even: 11 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$339
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,243. Most students can comfortably afford about a $339 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Retail Trade.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$38,575
Nominal: $50,919 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% lower purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $26,246 | $34,002 | $49,171 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $39,884 | $50,919 | $75,586 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $48,487 | $67,042 | $89,880 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $50,919 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $50,919 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200)
= $38,575 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates find employment in the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, accounting for 41.6% and 33.6% of placements, respectively, with Retail Trade comprising 9.0%. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 11 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for this program appears reasonable. Students should weigh these factors against their career aspirations and the cost of living in New York to make an informed decision.
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Other Degrees at SUNY Broome Community College
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.