Best Fire Science Schools Near Waterville, ME (2026)

Waterville, Maine has 2 accredited schools offering fire science programs, with tuition ranging from $4,156 to $7,036 per year for indexed programs. Waterville has a population of about 16,704. Median household income is $47,489 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Maine, the top-earning fire science-related role is Emergency Management Director at a median $84,050 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Fire Science Schools to Waterville

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer fire science programs near Waterville, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Waterville city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Waterville. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Eastern Maine Community College

Bangor, ME 49.1 miles from Waterville BOC Score 53.4
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,704
Avg net price $8,928/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,156
Out‑of‑state$7,036
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Southern Maine Community College

South Portland, ME 68.0 miles from Waterville BOC Score 46.5
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,661
Avg net price $11,086/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Maine schools on the Maine fire science page.


Fire Science Wages Near Waterville

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Maine, statewide)
Firefighter$48,290
First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$74,790
Fire Inspector and Investigator$58,240
Emergency Management Director$84,050

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Waterville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population16,704Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$47,489Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+32.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Waterville-Area Cities With Fire Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited fire science schools are near Waterville, ME?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering fire science programs near Waterville. The closest is Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor, ME (49.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Southern Maine Community College (68.1 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying fire science roles in Maine?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying fire science-related roles in Maine are: Emergency Management Director ($84,050), First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers ($74,790), Fire Inspector and Investigator ($58,240). Wages for Waterville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Augusta instead of Waterville?

Augusta, ME is 14.9 miles from Waterville and has its own set of local fire science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Waterville an affordable place to study fire science?

Waterville’s median household income of $47,489 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waterville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Maine public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Fire Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Waterville

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Waterville:

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.