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Best Fire Science Schools Near Aberdeen, SD (2026)
Updated August 11, 2026BLS dataCollege ScorecardOn this page
Aberdeen, South Dakota is home to about 28,297 residents. Median household income is $63,715 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Dakota, the top-earning fire science-related role is First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers at a median $72,420 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Fire Science Schools to Aberdeen
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer fire science programs near Aberdeen, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Aberdeen city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
$72,420
Fire Inspector and Investigator
N/A
Emergency Management Director
$67,180
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.
Aberdeen at a Glance
Metric
Value
Source
Population
28,297
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income
$63,715
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+
33.6%
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Other Aberdeen-Area Cities With Fire Science Programs
What are the highest-paying fire science roles in South Dakota?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying fire science-related roles in South Dakota are: First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers ($72,420), Emergency Management Director ($67,180), Firefighter ($48,160). Wages for Aberdeen workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Watertown instead of Aberdeen?
Watertown, SD is 74.6 miles from Aberdeen 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 Aberdeen an affordable place to study fire science?
Aberdeen’s median household income of $63,715 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Aberdeen while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Dakota 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.
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.