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2025 Best Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region

199 Colleges in the Southeast Region
39,217 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$43,210 Avg Early-Career Salary
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #12 most popular degree program in the country. So, you have a fair amount of options to choose from when looking for a school.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 199 schools in the Southeast Region to determine which ones were the best for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 39,217 degrees in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting annually.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting School

Best Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region The homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting rankings. We derive our Best Overall Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Pick Your Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
Bachelor's Degrees in Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
Master's Degrees in Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
Doctor's Degrees in Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region list, to help you choose the best school for you. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting in the Southeast Region

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting degrees they offer, see the list below. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Southeast Region Schools in Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
602 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$49,064 Median Starting Salary

George Mason University is a wonderful choice for students interested in a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting. Located in the large suburb of Fairfax, GMU is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #92 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means GMU is a great university overall.

There were about 602 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at GMU in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting major at George Mason University earn $5,854 more than the average college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from George Mason University

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,576 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$71,668 Median Starting Salary

Columbia Southern University is a wonderful decision for students interested in a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting. Columbia Southern University is a fairly large private for-profit university located in the town of Orange Beach. A Best Colleges rank of #109 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Columbia Southern University is a great university overall.

There were approximately 1576 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at Columbia Southern University in the most recent data year. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting degree recipients from Columbia Southern University earn a boost of about $28,458 above the average income of homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting graduates.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Columbia Southern University

3
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
744 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
5.0% Growth in Graduates

Florida State University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting. Florida State is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Tallahassee. A Best Colleges rank of #117 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Florida State is a great university overall.

There were roughly 744 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at Florida State in the most recent data year. After graduating, homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting degree recipients usually make about $37,834 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Florida State University

4
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
301 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$38,800 Median Starting Salary

Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a wonderful choice for students pursuing a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting. Located in the midsize city of Fort Lauderdale, Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #123 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a great university overall.

There were about 301 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program state that they receive average early career earnings of $38,800.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
228 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
2.2% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Columbia, UofSC is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #99 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UofSC is a great university overall.

There were about 228 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at UofSC in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program make an average of $35,781 for their early career.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from University of South Carolina - Columbia

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,997 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$63,922 Median Starting Salary

American Military University is a fairly large private for-profit university located in the fringe town of Charles Town. A Best Colleges rank of #234 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means American Military University is a great university overall.

There were approximately 1997 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at American Military University in the most recent year we have data available. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting degree recipients from American Public University System earn a boost of approximately $20,712 over the average income of homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting majors.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from American Public University System

7
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,262 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$50,166 Median Starting Salary

Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Lynchburg. This university ranks 11th out of 57 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 1262 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at Liberty University in the most recent year we have data available. Those homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who get their degree from Liberty University make $6,956 more than the typical homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting student.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Liberty University

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
475 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
18.9% Growth in Graduates

VCU is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Richmond. A Best Colleges rank of #189 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means VCU is a great university overall.

There were approximately 475 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at VCU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program report average early career wages of $40,184.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Virginia Commonwealth University

9
St. Leo University crest
Saint Leo University
Saint Leo, FL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
492 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$50,504 Median Starting Salary

St. Leo University is a large private not-for-profit university located in the town of Saint Leo. This university ranks 32nd out of 70 schools for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were about 492 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at St. Leo University in the most recent year we have data available. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting degree recipients from Saint Leo University earn a boost of around $7,294 above the typical earnings of homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting graduates.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Saint Leo University

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
269 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
11.5% Growth in Graduates

UofL is a fairly large public university located in the city of Louisville. This university ranks 2nd out of 39 schools for overall quality in the state of Kentucky.

There were about 269 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at UofL in the most recent data year. Those homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who get their degree from University of Louisville make $4,365 more than the average homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting graduate.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from University of Louisville

11
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
779 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
4.5% Growth in Graduates

Located in the suburb of Miami, FIU is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 13th out of 70 colleges for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were about 779 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at FIU in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting degree recipients usually make about $39,332 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Florida International University

12
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
738 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
3.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Orlando, UCF is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #217 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UCF is a great university overall.

There were roughly 738 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at UCF in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting degree recipients typically earn an average of $38,242 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from University of Central Florida

13
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
475 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
6.1% Growth in Graduates

HCC is a fairly large public college located in the large city of Tampa. A Best Colleges rank of #247 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means HCC is a great college overall.

There were about 475 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at HCC in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program at Hillsborough Community College make $9,271 more than the average college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Hillsborough Community College

14
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
260 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$36,155 Median Starting Salary

UNC Charlotte is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Charlotte. This university ranks 10th out of 93 schools for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were approximately 260 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at UNC Charlotte in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program earn an average of $36,155 for their early career.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from University of North Carolina at Charlotte

15
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
199 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$66,891 Median Starting Salary

Palm Beach State College is a fairly large public college located in the large suburb of Lake Worth. This college ranks 12th out of 70 colleges for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were roughly 199 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at Palm Beach State College in the most recent data year. Those homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who get their degree from Palm Beach State College receive $23,681 more than the standard homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting grad.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Palm Beach State College

16
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
78 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$37,405 Median Starting Salary

UGA is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Athens. A Best Colleges rank of #69 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UGA is a great university overall.

There were roughly 78 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at UGA in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting degree recipients typically earn an average of $37,405 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from University of Georgia

17
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In VA
206 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded

Northern Virginia Community College is a fairly large public college located in the large suburb of Annandale. A Best Colleges rank of #205 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Northern Virginia Community College is a great college overall.

There were roughly 206 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at Northern Virginia Community College in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Northern Virginia Community College

18
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
270 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$36,589 Median Starting Salary

Seminole State is a fairly large public college located in the small city of Sanford. This college ranks 16th out of 70 colleges for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were approximately 270 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at Seminole State in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program earn around $36,589 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Seminole State College of Florida

19
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
56 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$45,235 Median Starting Salary

The Citadel is a small public college located in the midsize city of Charleston. This college ranks 4th out of 45 schools for overall quality in the state of South Carolina.

There were approximately 56 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at The Citadel in the most recent data year. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting degree recipients from Citadel Military College of South Carolina receive an earnings boost of approximately $2,025 over the average income of homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting graduates.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Citadel Military College of South Carolina

20
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
242 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
13.6% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Fort Myers, FGCU is a public university with a large student population. This university ranks 37th out of 70 colleges for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were approximately 242 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at FGCU in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program state that they receive average early career wages of $40,079.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Florida Gulf Coast University

21
BC crest
Broward College
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
246 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$34,607 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized city of Fort Lauderdale, BC is a public college with a very large student population. This college ranks 15th out of 70 colleges for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were about 246 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at BC in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program report average early career income of $34,607.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Broward College

22
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
518 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
1.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the town of Richmond, Eastern is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 12th out of 39 colleges for overall quality in the state of Kentucky.

There were about 518 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at Eastern in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program earn an average of $44,836 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Eastern Kentucky University

23
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
53 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$48,676 Median Starting Salary

Located in the small city of Daytona Beach, Embry-Riddle Worldwide is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.

There were roughly 53 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at Embry-Riddle Worldwide in the most recent data year. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting degree recipients from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide get an earnings boost of around $5,466 above the typical earnings of homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting majors.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide

24
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
62 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$48,953 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of New Orleans, Tulane is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #95 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Tulane is a great university overall.

There were approximately 62 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at Tulane in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting degree program at Tulane University of Louisiana earn $5,743 above the typical graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from Tulane University of Louisiana

25
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
210 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Degrees Awarded
$36,644 Median Starting Salary

Located in the small city of Greenville, ECU is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 7th out of 93 colleges for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were about 210 homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students who graduated with this degree at ECU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program report average early career income of $36,644.

More information about a degree in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting from East Carolina University

Rest of the Top Best Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region

26
27
Radford crest
Radford University
Radford, VA
28
29
30
31
32

33
Valencia College crest
Valencia College
Orlando, FL

34
35
36
37
38
Marymount crest
Marymount University
Arlington, VA
39

Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional great schools for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting students in the Southeast Region that almost earned our Best Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in the Southeast Region award.

Rank College Location
40 University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR
41 The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN
42 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
43 Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN
44 University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC
45 Rasmussen University - Florida Ocala, FL
46 University of Memphis Memphis, TN
47 Bethel University McKenzie, TN
48 Columbia College Columbia, SC
49 University of Mississippi University, MS
50 Averett University Danville, VA
51 ECPI University Virginia Beach, VA
52 Columbus State University Columbus, GA
53 Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem, NC
54 Harding University Searcy, AR
55 St Petersburg College St. Petersburg, FL
56 University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY
57 Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NC
58 Eastern Florida State College Melbourne, FL
59 Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Salisbury, NC
60 Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL
61 North Carolina Wesleyan College Rocky Mount, NC
62 Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC
63 Gaston College Dallas, NC
64 Polk State College Winter Haven, FL
65 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL
66 Shenandoah University Winchester, VA

Best Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Colleges by State

Explore the best homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting schools for a specific state in the Southeast Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
North Carolina 38 3,236
West Virginia 38 2,467
Mississippi 38 639
South Carolina 38 1,049
Florida 38 6,408
Virginia 38 3,445
Arkansas 38 711
Alabama 37 2,862
Kentucky 37 1,255
Georgia 37 2,332
Tennessee 37 1,310
Louisiana 37 1,108

View All Rankings >

Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Criminal Justice & Corrections 29,726
Fire Protection 4,026
Security Science and Technology 2,361
Homeland Security 2,308
Other Homeland Security 796

View All Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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