Florida College System EMT Programs Lead National Rankings

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

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Florida College System EMT Programs Lead National Rankings

- Twenty colleges make the list of top 80 EMT programs with the highest return on investment -

Tallahassee, Fla., September 3, 2013 - Of the top 80 institutions in the U.S. providing the best return on investment to emergency medical technician (EMT) graduates, 20 institutions belong to the Florida College System (FCS). Fire Science Online identified the top programs to help students and families make informed decisions.

"People's lives depend on the quality of care provided by EMTs and paramedics," said FCS Chancellor Randy Hanna. "I commend our colleges for providing the job training needed to ensure the needs of our state are met while helping graduates achieve significant return on their investments."

Florida led the rankings as the state with the most institutions named to the top 80:

• Broward College (20)
• College of Central Florida (21)
• Santa Fe College (27)
• Hillsborough Community College (28)
• Eastern Florida State College (29)
• Pensacola State College (30)
• Florida State College at Jacksonville (31)
• Tallahassee Community College (32)
• Gulf Coast State College (33)
• Pasco-Hernando Community College (36)
• Northwest Florida State College (37)
• Valencia College (39)
• Palm Beach State College (40)
• St. Petersburg College (41)
• Miami Dade College (42)
• Seminole State College of Florida (43)
• Polk State College (44)
• Indian River State College (45)
• Edison State College (47)
• Daytona State College (57)

More than 1,100 colleges in the U.S. offer EMT programs. Fire Science Online identified programs with the highest return on investment using national salary, tuition, enrollment and accreditation data. The list recognizes the institutions with significantly lower-than-average tuition rates in states where graduates are well paid.

"The cost of attending college is a concern for many students and their families," said Chancellor Hanna. "I am extremely proud of our colleges for offering affordable, high-quality EMT programs that reward students with a good return on investment."

The FCS shares graduation rates, employment statistics and earnings data for all programs through the Smart College Choices web portal.

For more information, view Fire Science Online's rankings.