Best Fire Science Schools Near Olive Branch, MS (2026)

Olive Branch, Mississippi is home to about 46,538 residents. Median household income is $98,421 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area, the top-earning fire science-related role is Emergency Management Director at a median $86,670 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Fire Science Schools to Olive Branch

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer fire science programs near Olive Branch, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Olive Branch 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 Olive Branch. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Meridian Community College

Meridian, MS 190.3 miles from Olive Branch BOC Score 50.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,002
Avg net price $6,351/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Fire Science Wages Near Olive Branch

Olive Branch is part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (BLS area code 32820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Mississippi statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Firefighter$62,910Memphis, TN-MS-AR$68,232
First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$82,320Memphis, TN-MS-AR$89,284
Fire Inspector and Investigator$82,280Memphis, TN-MS-AR$89,241
Emergency Management Director$86,670Memphis, TN-MS-AR$94,002

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.


Olive Branch at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population46,538Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$98,421Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.2 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Olive Branch-Area Cities With Fire Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying fire science roles near Olive Branch?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying fire science-related roles near Olive Branch are: Emergency Management Director ($86,670), First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers ($82,320), Fire Inspector and Investigator ($82,280). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Mississippi statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Southaven instead of Olive Branch?

Southaven, MS is 7.4 miles from Olive Branch 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 Olive Branch an affordable place to study fire science?

Olive Branch’s median household income of $98,421 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Olive Branch while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi 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 Olive Branch

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.