Quick answer: The Rockford metro employs about 410 firefighters (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through your state fire marshal or fire training academy.
Licensing
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Firefighter certification is issued at the state level, commonly against the NFPA standards, with certificates accredited through IFSAC or the Pro Board so they carry between agencies. The academic degree is separate: fire science programs generally follow the federal FESHE model curriculum and matter mainly for promotion rather than for initial hire.
See the Illinois licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state fire marshal or fire training academy.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 69 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
#1
Waubonsee Community College
📍
Sugar Grove, IL
•44.6 miles away•BOC Score
59.6
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Rte 47 at Waubonsee Drive Sugar Grove, IL 60554-9454
Firefighters in the Rockford area earn a median $77,150 per year, above the national median of $59,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Fire Science Pay in Rockford, IL
Metric
Rockford metro
Illinois
National
Median annual wage
$77,150
$78,380
$59,280
10th percentile
$34,430
$38,900
$34,910
25th percentile
$57,050
$47,910
$44,490
75th percentile
$77,150
$103,530
$77,250
90th percentile
$88,910
$106,060
$101,040
Employment
410
18,400
345,990
Location quotient
1.34
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Rockford, IL metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Rockford median of $77,150 is above the national median of $59,280, and below the Illinois statewide median of $78,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.34 means firefighters are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Firefighting is hired municipally, so the relevant market is the metro area and its surrounding departments rather than the national picture.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do firefighters make in Rockford?
The median annual wage for firefighters in the Rockford, IL metro area is $77,150, above the national median of $59,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many firefighters work in the Rockford area?
The Rockford, IL metro area employs about 410 firefighters (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do firefighters in Rockford need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Firefighter certification is issued at the state level, commonly against the NFPA standards, with certificates accredited through IFSAC or the Pro Board so they carry between agencies. The academic degree is separate: fire science programs generally follow the federal FESHE model curriculum and matter mainly for promotion rather than for initial hire. Confirm current requirements with your state fire marshal or fire training academy.
Can I study fire science online from Rockford?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state fire marshal or fire training academy.
Is Rockford a better market than the rest of Illinois?
The Rockford metro median is $77,150 against a statewide median of $78,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Firefighters (SOC 33-2011), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
