10 Universities Offering Forensic Science Degree (Top Review)

Forensic science, for the past few years, have become one of the hottest careers and these few universities offering forensic science becomes interesting topic for you.

This trend, according discovering, forensic science in the future will not only focus on crime reconstructions and interpreting of forensic science evidence from a crime scene, but will also have the capability to “out think crime” and create a more proactive forensic science.

In this post, we will be looking into a number of universities that offer forensic science degree in the United States.

A review will also throw more light in the list of best universities offering forensic science around the world.

Before we get into the list of the best universities for forensic science, let us take a look at what forensic science is and what it entails.

Forensic Science

Forensic science, also known as criminalistics, is the application of science to criminal and civil laws during investigations. The field of forensic science encompasses fields in science such as chemistry, biology, physics, geology, psychology, social science, and engineering. That’s why most forensic scientists are very observant and analytical on the field.

Some skill-sets required to attend the 10 best universities that offer forensic science in the united states

Security consciousness
Analysis of an environment
Analysis of crime-scene data (that involves blood samples, hair samples, etc.)
Computer proficiency (this involves you being conversant with the data analyzing software used to test samples)

Fields in Forensic science

Ballistics and firearms
Arson and explosives
Fingerprints
Trace Evidence
Accident Reconstruction
Bloodstain pattern analysis

What is the minimum salary of a forensic scientist?

The minimum salary a low-tier forensic scientist makes is $33,860.

As you climb up the level in the profession, you can earn up to a whopping $97,000. This simply means that working in this field can provide better opportunities in boosting your profile and finance.

10 best universities that offer forensic science in the United States

Attending the best university for a given course program is beneficial to your academic growth. This can open doors to the industry for you giving you more opportunities to scale up.

Let us take a deeper view of each of the universities that offer forensic science in the United States.

Boston University

Boston University located in Massachusetts is rated as one of the top forensic institutions in the U.S.A. They offer quality education and are great for the pursue of your degree.

They have been accredited to teach forensic science by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

Studying here, equips, and trains you for the field. This program trains you on operations in the industry and growing your career. Being a trained professional is crucial as the forensic science field is evolving.

The program is a full-time program and you can also opt for the master’s program after you are done with your bachelor’s degree.

Acceptance rate: the acceptance rate of Boston university is 22.1%.

Tuition: Undergraduate pay around $56,854.

For more information on applying, visit- http://www.bu.edu/academics/gms/programs/forensic-anthropology/

Loyola University

Loyola is a great learning ground for any forensic scientist located in Chicago. Studying here enables you to be exposed to expert faculty and state-of-the-art facilities, which in turn prepares you for a great career in the forensic world.

While you study your forensic program here you will be exposed to career paths in the fields even building up your oral and written communication skills.

The program curriculum is built with an emphasis on the development of strong moral and ethical character which are essential for leadership.

Graduation rate: 90%

Acceptance rate: 67.9%

Tuition: $45,543

To apply, visit https://www.luc.edu/forensicscience/bs.shtml

George Washington University

George Washington University stands as one of the greatest universities in the study of forensics. The department of forensic science at the university is one of the oldest and biggest in the country.

George Washington University offers advanced study in a crime scene and forensic investigation. This is why they have been rated to be amongst the 10 best universities that offer forensic science in the United States.

Studying here as a student means that you are tutored and mentored by the brightest in the industry.

Acceptance rate: 41.9%

Graduation rate: 83.9%

Tuition: $56,935

To apply, visit https://www.programs.gwu.edu/graduate/forensic-sciences.

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia commonwealth university is a research-driven institute located in Richmond, Virginia. They offer a rich blend of teachings fused into their Bachelor’s in the forensic science program.

Here you will be trained with industry insights enabling you to be prepared for the forensic industry. This is great for you because you now know what the industry expects of you and how you can fit in.

Acceptance rate: 86.2%

Graduation rate: 61.5%

Tuition: $35,904

To apply, visit https://forensicscience.vcu.edu/

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis is another great school amongst the 10 best universities that offer forensic science in the United States. Here you are guaranteed a world-class education that would place you amongst the top in the industry.

One of the fun programs you can attend at the university is their spring semester crime scene investigation course. This program will be a great fit for your learning process as you learn through activities and exploration.

Graduation rate: 74.1%

Acceptance rate: 57.5%

Tuition: $45,424

Visit the official website for more information https://www.slu.edu/

University of Pennsylvania

Ready to dive into the forensic world, then the University of Pennsylvania is for you. Pennsylvania will equip you with the best foundation in this specialized field.

Here, you will be taught by scholars in the field of forensics and mentored into becoming a great and bright forensic graduate.

The aim of this program is to introduce you to the major aspects of the functions and operations in the criminal justice field in relation to forensic science.

Studying here means that you have access to not just materials for the bachelor program but also to the graduate forensics program.

Graduation rate: 95%

Acceptance rate: 8.4%

Tuition: Around $57,770

Visit the official website for more information https://forensics.psu.edu/graduate

Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private founded in 1831 and located in Syracuse, New York. They were founded by the Methodist in America to offer quality education to those within the vicinity.

At Syracuse, they have a unique way of fusing forensic science and national security into their education, research, and outreach. Studying here will offer you a broad knowledge of the concept and application of forensic theory.

Acceptance rate: 49.9%

Graduation rate: 82.1%

Tuition: $53,849

To apply, visit https://www.syracuse.edu/academics/undergraduate-majors-minors/forensic-science/

Drexel University

This is another top-tier university for the study of forensic sciences. Here is the reason why it is on the list of the 10 best universities that offer forensic science in the United States.

At Drexel, the program is a 2-year program that provides you with insights into the industry and makes you a force.

Acceptance rate: 76.9%

Graduation rate: 69.9%

Tuition: $54,516

For more information, visit https://drexel.edu/medicine/academics/graduate-school/forensic-science/

Texas A & M

Located in Texas, Texas A & M has been coming up with the radar for quality education in the field of forensic science. In their program, you will learn the basics in sample collection, preserving, and using the evidence at hand to aid in problem-solving.

Here, at Texas A & M you are offered two options in the bachelor of science program which are Science Emphasis and Pre-Law Emphasis.

Graduation rate: 79.9%

Acceptance rate: 67.6%

Tuition: $38,602

For more information visit https://entomology.tamu.edu/forensic-investigative-sciences/

George Mason University

Established in 2009, George Mason has one of the largest research facilities for those in the field of forensic science.

As time moved the school has moved up to the top 10 best universities that offer forensic science in the United States.

George Mason offers a full bachelor’s and Master’s degree program in Forensic science.

Acceptance rate: 81.1%

Graduation rate: 69.4%

Tuition: $36,024

For more information, visit https://cos.gmu.edu/forensic-science/about/

Frequently Asked Questions

At this point, let us look into some of the questions people ask regarding these universities offering forensic science.

Why should I study forensic science ?

Studying at a top university will prepare you to excel in your chosen field. This means that you will become more adapted to your field even before graduation and this can increase your chances of employment.

The exposure from these 10 best universities that offer forensic science in the United States can be highly beneficial to you.

Do forensic scientists get paid well?

The median salary of a forensic scientist is $56,750 according to the data from the U.S Bureau of labor. The research shows that in 2016, the top-earning forensic scientist is paid $97,400 annually while the lowest earner makes $33,860.

Being a forensic scientist can be tasking and the salary is rewarding. This means that for all your hard work, you make good pay.

Is forensics a good career?

Earning a good salary as a forensic scientist is factored upon your geographic location, type of employer, and experience level.

These factors influence your earning capacity but according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10% of the highest earners earned more than $97,350 as of 2019 – and that is not too big for a Forensic career salary.

What is the best schools for forensic science?

Below is a list of the 10 best schools ( universities nsities and colleges) offering forensic degrees:

Boston University
Loyola University
George Washington University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Saint Louis University
University of Pennsylvania
Syracuse University
Drexel University
Texas A & M
George Mason University

Is forensic science difficult to study?

Forensic science is a body of knowledge that needs to cover various scientific fields such as chemistry, physics, geology, psycology, engineering, social science, biology and more other fields.

So, it will not be so easy to study as a course in any institution or country.

However, it is important that one figures out the ultimate life puzzle that is clear with the fact that nothing worth doing is easy.

In this post, however, we believe that you learning beyond the number of universities offering forensic science – but a seemingly overview of the discipline.

Which country is best for forensic science?

The United States, the UK and Sweden tops as best forensic study destinations:

University of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.
George Washington University, in the US.
University of Dundee, in the UK.
Uppsala University, in Sweden.
The Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, in Germany.

From the list above, the Masters portal suggests that these five countries the are best forensic science student destinations.