Best Fire Science Schools Near Sanford, NC (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Sanford, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering fire science programs. Sanford has a population of about 30,833. Median household income is $54,294 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning fire science-related role is Emergency Management Director at a median $93,840 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Fire Science Schools to Sanford

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Sandhills Community College

Pinehurst, NC 22.2 miles from Sanford
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,656
Avg net price $4,157/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Methodist University

Fayetteville, NC 29.4 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
31.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,050
Avg net price $24,704/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Fayetteville Technical Community College

Fayetteville, NC 31.9 miles from Sanford
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,861
Avg net price $3,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, NC 32.5 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,144
Avg net price $7,892/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Durham Technical Community College

Durham, NC 37.9 miles from Sanford
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,142
Avg net price $1,664/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Randolph Community College

Asheboro, NC 38.9 miles from Sanford
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,336
Avg net price $6,918/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Alamance Community College

Graham, NC 41.6 miles from Sanford
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,241
Avg net price $6,109/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Johnston Community College

Smithfield, NC 47.6 miles from Sanford
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
64.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,310
Avg net price $1,776/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,756
Out‑of‑state$8,900
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Fire Science Wages Near Sanford

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Firefighter$37,940
First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$59,560
Fire Inspector and Investigator$66,820
Emergency Management Director$93,840

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.

Sanford at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population30,833Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$54,294Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Sanford-Area Cities With Fire Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited fire science schools are near Sanford, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering fire science programs near Sanford. The closest is Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, NC (22.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Durham Technical Community College (37.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying fire science roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying fire science-related roles in North Carolina are: Emergency Management Director ($93,840), Fire Inspector and Investigator ($66,820), First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers ($59,560). Wages for Sanford workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Holly Springs instead of Sanford?

Holly Springs, NC is 22.4 miles from Sanford 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 Sanford an affordable place to study fire science?

Sanford’s median household income of $54,294 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sanford while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Sanford

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

Data verified: August 31, 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.

Back to Best Fire Science Schools in North Carolina (2026)