Fire academy in Wisconsin
14 firefighter programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free
10 schools offer these firefighter programs, and Wisconsin has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.
Firefighters put out fires and answer emergencies that put people, property or the environment at risk. Most need a high school diploma, must pass written and physical tests and an interview, and then train for a few months at a fire academy run by a fire department or the state. Firefighters may also need EMT or paramedic certification.1
In Wisconsin, 5 of the 14 programs take students without a high school diploma, 8 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 1 asks for earlier courses first.
By kind, the 14 programs here are fire science (associate degree, 8 programs), fire academy (Firefighter I and II, 3 programs), fire science certificate or diploma (2 programs) and firefighter and EMT combined (1 program).
See the 14 programsHow much does fire academy cost in Wisconsin?
- Two-year degrees (8 programs)
- $9,498 to $10,218most of them, usually 64 weeks long
- Other firefighter programs (6 programs)
- $2,809 to $4,603most of them, usually 20 to 50 weeks long
What you pay yourself for the whole program, as the schools report it. "Most" is the middle half of the programs with a price.
In the typical program
- Finished the program
- 31%
- Working 6 months later
- 80%
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $32,700
- Length
- 32 to 64 weeks
Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Wisconsin may also offer fire academy training. How these figures are made
All 14 firefighter programs in Wisconsin approved for WIOA funding
Filters
14 programs
Fire Protection Technician
Fox Valley Technical College
Appleton
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$32,600Price if you pay yourself$10,458Program website, Fire Protection Technician at Fox Valley Technical CollegeMore details about Fire Protection Technician at Fox Valley Technical College
- Finished
- 42%
- Working at 6 months
- 83%
- Earned in a quarter
- $8,153
- Length
- Not reported
- Cost of supplies
- $3,278
- Students counted
- 446
- Earned a year, estimated
- $32,600
- Price if you pay yourself
- $10,458
Fire Service Certification
Madison Area Technical College
Madison
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$23,700Price if you pay yourself$2,779Program website, Fire Service Certification at Madison Area Technical CollegeMore details about Fire Service Certification at Madison Area Technical College
- Finished
- 54%
- Working at 6 months
- 65%
- Earned in a quarter
- $5,915
- Length
- 32 weeks, 20 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- None listed
- Students counted
- 431
- Earned a year, estimated
- $23,700
- Price if you pay yourself
- $2,779
Fire Protection Technician
Madison Area Technical College
Madison
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$32,900Price if you pay yourself$9,640Program website, Fire Protection Technician at Madison Area Technical CollegeMore details about Fire Protection Technician at Madison Area Technical College
- Finished
- 33%
- Working at 6 months
- 82%
- Earned in a quarter
- $8,214
- Length
- 64 weeks, 20 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- None listed
- Students counted
- 355
- Earned a year, estimated
- $32,900
- Price if you pay yourself
- $9,640
Fire Protection Technician
Waukesha County Technical College
Pewaukee
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$34,900Price if you pay yourself$9,397Program website, Fire Protection Technician at Waukesha County Technical CollegeMore details about Fire Protection Technician at Waukesha County Technical College
- Finished
- 28%
- Working at 6 months
- 92%
- Earned in a quarter
- $8,717
- Length
- 64 weeks, 30 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- None listed
- Students counted
- 239
- Earned a year, estimated
- $34,900
- Price if you pay yourself
- $9,397
Fire Protection Technician
Blackhawk Technical College
Janesville
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$35,800Price if you pay yourself$9,483Program website, Fire Protection Technician at Blackhawk Technical CollegeMore details about Fire Protection Technician at Blackhawk Technical College
- Finished
- 29%
- Working at 6 months
- 66%
- Earned in a quarter
- $8,943
- Length
- 64 weeks, 20 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- None listed
- Students counted
- 138
- Earned a year, estimated
- $35,800
- Price if you pay yourself
- $9,483
Fire Protection Technician
Western Technical College
La Crosse
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$35,200Price if you pay yourself$10,013Program website, Fire Protection Technician at Western Technical CollegeMore details about Fire Protection Technician at Western Technical College
- Finished
- 58%
- Working at 6 months
- 77%
- Earned in a quarter
- $8,810
- Length
- 60 weeks, 20 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- None listed
- Students counted
- 122
- Earned a year, estimated
- $35,200
- Price if you pay yourself
- $10,013
Fire Protection Technician Associate Degree
Mid-State Technical College
Wisconsin Rapids
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$27,700Price if you pay yourself$10,138Program website, Fire Protection Technician Associate Degree at Mid-State Technical CollegeMore details about Fire Protection Technician Associate Degree at Mid-State Technical College
- Finished
- 20%
- Working at 6 months
- 85%
- Earned in a quarter
- $6,917
- Length
- 64 weeks, 16 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- $2,135
- Students counted
- 35
- Earned a year, estimated
- $27,700
- Price if you pay yourself
- $10,138
EMT - Firefighter
Northcentral Technical College
Wausau
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$33,100Price if you pay yourself$1,677More details about EMT - Firefighter at Northcentral Technical College
- Finished
- 78%
- Working at 6 months
- 91%
- Earned in a quarter
- $8,277
- Length
- 16 weeks, 20 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- None listed
- Students counted
- 32
- Earned a year, estimated
- $33,100
- Price if you pay yourself
- $1,677
Fire Science
Northcentral Technical College
Wausau
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$30,200Price if you pay yourself$4,694More details about Fire Science at Northcentral Technical College
- Finished
- 23%
- Working at 6 months
- 79%
- Earned in a quarter
- $7,561
- Length
- 80 weeks, 10 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- None listed
- Students counted
- 31
- Earned a year, estimated
- $30,200
- Price if you pay yourself
- $4,694
Firefighter Technician
Mid-State Technical College
Wisconsin Rapids
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$21,600Price if you pay yourself$4,535Program website, Firefighter Technician at Mid-State Technical CollegeMore details about Firefighter Technician at Mid-State Technical College
- Finished
- 25%
- Working at 6 months
- 75%
- Earned in a quarter
- $5,401
- Length
- 16 weeks, 16 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- $1,149
- Students counted
- 26
- Earned a year, estimated
- $21,600
- Price if you pay yourself
- $4,535
Fire Science
Gateway Technical College
Kenosha
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reportedPrice if you pay yourself$4,626Program website, Fire Science at Gateway Technical CollegeMore details about Fire Science at Gateway Technical College
- Finished
- Not reported
- Working at 6 months
- Not reported
- Earned in a quarter
- Not reported
- Length
- 30 weeks, 25 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- None listed
- Students counted
- 78
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Price if you pay yourself
- $4,626
Fire Service Certification
Mid-State Technical College
Wisconsin Rapids
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reportedPrice if you pay yourself$2,898Program website, Fire Service Certification at Mid-State Technical CollegeMore details about Fire Service Certification at Mid-State Technical College
- Finished
- Not reported
- Working at 6 months
- Not reported
- Earned in a quarter
- Not reported
- Length
- 56 weeks, 6 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- $346
- Students counted
- 15
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Price if you pay yourself
- $2,898
Fire Protection Technician
Moraine Park Technical College
Fond du Lac
Accredited school
Education and courses
Earned a year, estimatedNot reportedPrice if you pay yourself$9,503Program website, Fire Protection Technician at Moraine Park Technical CollegeMore details about Fire Protection Technician at Moraine Park Technical College
- Finished
- Not reported
- Working at 6 months
- Not reported
- Earned in a quarter
- Not reported
- Length
- Not reported
- Cost of supplies
- None listed
- Students counted
- Not reported
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Price if you pay yourself
- $9,503
Fire Protection Engineering Technology
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Green Bay
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reportedPrice if you pay yourself$10,478Program website, Fire Protection Engineering Technology at Northeast Wisconsin Technical CollegeMore details about Fire Protection Engineering Technology at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
- Finished
- Not reported
- Working at 6 months
- Not reported
- Earned in a quarter
- Not reported
- Length
- 90 weeks, 17 hours a week
- Cost of supplies
- $1,300
- Students counted
- Not reported
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Price if you pay yourself
- $10,478
No programs match these filters.
How to pay for fire academy training in Wisconsin
WIOA funding can pay for fire academy training in Wisconsin
Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?
Financial aid and grants for fire academy training
Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.67
GI Bill for fire academy training
Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.8
The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.
Quick facts: Fire academy in Wisconsin
- programs with a price cost under $5,000
- 6 of 14
- lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
- 15th of 15
- other states where the typical program's graduates earned less
- 0 of 9
- firefighter programs here, against the typical state's 4
- 14 vs 4
State comparisons use the same figures as the fire academy training by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).
Fire academy in Wisconsin Rapids, Madison, Wausau and other Wisconsin cities
Choosing an area filters the program list above. 3 more programs are in 3 other areas, 1 in smaller cities and towns.
Other training in Wisconsin
How fire academy training compares with the rest of public safety: First responder training in Wisconsin
- CDL training35 programs
- CNA classes36 programs
- Medical assistant training33 programs
- Phlebotomy training18 programs
- Welding classes53 programs
- HVAC training25 programs
- Medical billing and coding training28 programs
- LPN programs9 programs
- EMT classes53 programs
- Electrician training17 programs
- Dental assistant programs18 programs
- Auto mechanic classes43 programs
- Pharmacy technician training12 programs
- Plumbing school9 programs
- CNC machinist training40 programs
- Carpentry classes17 programs
- Heavy equipment operator training4 programs
- Diesel mechanic training20 programs
- Cybersecurity training21 programs
- IT training70 programs
- Cosmetology school13 programs
- Barber school6 programs
- Esthetician school7 programs
- Nail tech school9 programs
- EKG technician programs2 programs
- Massage therapy school7 programs
- Paralegal programs16 programs
- Police academy13 programs
- Surgical tech programs14 programs
- Radiology tech programs8 programs
- Culinary school34 programs
- Home health aide training20 programs
- PTA programs5 programs
- Medical administrative assistant training26 programs
- Human resources training36 programs
- Medication aide training2 programs
- Industrial maintenance technician training63 programs
- Early childhood education programs51 programs
- Aircraft mechanic school2 programs
- Supply chain and logistics training27 programs
- Hospitality management programs20 programs
- Addiction counselor training15 programs
- Community health worker training3 programs
- Coding and software development courses30 programs
- Lineman school8 programs
- Sterile processing technician training2 programs
- Sonography school4 programs
- Data analytics courses12 programs
- Administrative assistant training53 programs
- Respiratory therapy programs7 programs
- Medical lab technician programs13 programs
- AutoCAD and drafting courses22 programs
- Digital marketing courses23 programs
- Web and graphic design courses29 programs
- Health information technology programs15 programs
- Vet tech programs9 programs
- Real estate school6 programs
- Security guard training3 programs
- OTA programs4 programs
- Crane operator training4 programs
- Interpreter and translator training2 programs
- Forklift certification1 program
- Personal trainer certification2 programs
- Healthcare administration programs8 programs
- Customer service training11 programs
- Flight school2 programs
- Cardiovascular technology programs1 program
- Human services programs10 programs
- Manufacturing technician training33 programs
- Electronics technician training19 programs
- Business administration programs79 programs
- Criminal justice programs22 programs
- Teacher assistant certification17 programs
- Auto body repair classes10 programs
- Solar and wind technician training6 programs
- Water treatment operator training2 programs
- OSHA safety training7 programs
- Dialysis technician training1 program
- Optician training3 programs
- Masonry training3 programs
- Insurance license courses1 program
- Construction training programs12 programs
- Dental hygiene programs7 programs
- Accounting and bookkeeping classes51 programs
- RN programs20 programs
- Project management certification21 programs
Where the Wisconsin firefighter program numbers come from
Which Wisconsin firefighter programs are on this list?
These are the firefighter programs Wisconsin approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).9 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Wisconsin offers.
How the prices and results of Wisconsin firefighter programs are measured
Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.
Sources for the facts about fire academy training in Wisconsin
Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Firefighters
- US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
- US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
- Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
- US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
- US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
- US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
- US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
- US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List