# Western Illinois University: Fire Protection (bachelor's)

Macomb, IL. IPEDS 149772, CIP 43.02. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-illinois-university/majors/fire-protection

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $41,432
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $68,753 (U.S. median for this major: $80,497 across 15 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $22,723 (U.S. median $25,750)
- Rank in IL: 2 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$11,744

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.38 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $68,753 minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $6,941 | $30,402 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $8,787 | $38,487 | 1.2 years |
| 48-75k | $12,062 | $52,832 | 1.6 years |
| 75-110k | $16,294 | $71,368 | 2.2 years |
| 110k+ | $19,701 | $86,290 | 2.6 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Fire Protection at IL colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $108,135 | $17,725 | $13,297 | 62% |
| Western Illinois University | $68,753 | $22,723 | $12,937 | 45% |

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).