Best Forensic Psychology Schools Near Waterloo, IA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Waterloo, Iowa is home to about 66,947 residents. Median household income is $56,344 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning forensic psychology-related role is Psychologists, All Other at a median $138,420 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Psychology Schools to Waterloo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic psychology programs near Waterloo, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Waterloo city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Waterloo. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA 112.2 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,531
Avg net price $24,691/yr
Tuition
In‑state$36,658
Out‑of‑state$36,658
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa forensic psychology page.

Forensic Psychology Wages Near Waterloo

Waterloo is part of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area (BLS area code 47940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists $91,690 IA statewide $105,270
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists $90,230 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $103,594
Detectives and Criminal Investigators $79,560 IA statewide $91,343
Forensic Science Technicians $67,060 IA statewide $76,992
Psychologists, All Other $138,420 IA statewide $158,921
Social and Human Service Assistants $44,250 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $50,804
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $106,660 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $122,457
Rehabilitation Counselors $42,880 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $49,231

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Waterloo at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 66,947 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $56,344 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 87.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Waterloo-Area Cities With Forensic Psychology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying forensic psychology roles near Waterloo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic psychology-related roles near Waterloo are: Psychologists, All Other ($138,420), First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives ($106,660), Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($91,690). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Cedar Falls instead of Waterloo?

Cedar Falls, IA is 5.5 miles from Waterloo and has its own set of local forensic psychology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Waterloo an affordable place to study forensic psychology?

Waterloo’s median household income of $56,344 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waterloo while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Forensic Psychology Programs

Other Programs Available in Waterloo

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Waterloo:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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