Accredited first responder schools by state
2,239 first responder programs at accredited schools, approved for WIOA funding
That is 87% of the 2,561 first responder programs that states have approved for workforce funding. The schools are on the US Department of Education's list of accredited schools. The Department doesn't accredit schools itself: it reviews accrediting agencies and lists the ones it recognizes as reliable judges of the quality of the education they accredit.1
WIOA funding doesn't require accreditation: besides colleges, a state can approve other public and private training providers.2 Funding comes through your own state's list, so pick your state below.
First responder training by state, accredited or not, with costs and results
Accredited first responder schools in each state
- Alabama11accredited schools, 16 programs
- Arizona12accredited schools, 54 programs
- Arkansas21accredited schools, 63 programs
- California40accredited schools, 113 programs
- Colorado14accredited schools, 91 programs
- Florida46accredited schools, 125 programs
- Georgia24accredited schools, 95 programs
- Illinois37accredited schools, 97 programs
- Iowa13accredited schools, 33 programs
- Kansas10accredited schools, 15 programs
- Kentucky12accredited schools, 19 programs
- Louisiana10accredited schools, 29 programs
- Maine10accredited schools, 19 programs
- Maryland7accredited schools, 12 programs
- Michigan33accredited schools, 119 programs
- Minnesota27accredited schools, 110 programs
- Mississippi19accredited schools, 31 programs
- Missouri37accredited schools, 113 programs
- Nebraska7accredited schools, 26 programs
- New Mexico14accredited schools, 52 programs
- North Carolina50accredited schools, 142 programs
- North Dakota5accredited schools, 9 programs
- Ohio66accredited schools, 212 programs
- Oklahoma27accredited schools, 58 programs
- Oregon6accredited schools, 19 programs
- Pennsylvania15accredited schools, 25 programs
- Puerto Rico5accredited schools, 9 programs
- Tennessee27accredited schools, 70 programs
- Texas31accredited schools, 110 programs
- Utah11accredited schools, 24 programs
- Virginia15accredited schools, 27 programs
- Washington26accredited schools, 66 programs
- Wisconsin16accredited schools, 105 programs
- Wyoming6accredited schools, 15 programs
Fewer than 5 accredited schools, so no page of their own: Alaska (4), Connecticut (3), Delaware (3), Hawaii (4), Idaho (3), Indiana (3), Massachusetts (3), Montana (4), Nevada (4), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (3), New York (3), South Carolina (2), South Dakota (4), Vermont (1), West Virginia (3). Their programs are on each field's state page, with an "Accredited school" filter.
Accredited first responder programs by field
- EMT classes1,030of 1,210 programs at accredited schools
- Criminal justice programs550of 557 programs at accredited schools
- Police academy326of 338 programs at accredited schools
- Fire academy306of 337 programs at accredited schools
- Security guard training27of 119 programs at accredited schools
Programs approved for WIOA funding in any state. Fields with a link have a page of accredited programs by state.
How the accredited public safety schools were found
Which programs are counted?
Programs that states approved for WIOA funding, from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).3 The two lists share no ID number, so we matched each school by its website and name in the same state, and checked every unclear case by hand. A school that only hosts a college's classes doesn't count as the college.
How current is the accreditation?
We read the Department's list of October 24, 2026 and count only current accreditation. The Department notes that agencies report this information, that it isn't audited, and that the agency itself has the latest status.1
Sources for the accreditation facts about first responder programs
Show the 3 sourcesHide the sources
- US Department of Education, Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), data files of 2026-10-24
- 20 CFR 680.410, What is an eligible training provider? (eCFR)
- 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