Best Forensic Science Schools Near Goodyear, AZ (2026)

Goodyear, Arizona has 11 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $2,358 to $33,139 per year for indexed programs. Goodyear has a population of about 102,891. Median household income is $101,814 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $98,860 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to Goodyear

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Goodyear, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Goodyear 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 Goodyear. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

South Mountain Community College

Phoenix, AZ 20.7 miles from Goodyear BOC Score 38.9
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 16%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,825
Avg net price $12,780/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,358
Out‑of‑state$8,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Phoenix College

Phoenix, AZ 21.9 miles from Goodyear BOC Score 52.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,870
Avg net price $12,055/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, AZ 22.0 miles from Goodyear BOC Score 33.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,186
Avg net price $22,472/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Glendale Community College

Glendale, AZ 23.4 miles from Goodyear BOC Score 42.8
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,108
Avg net price $11,650/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Mesa Community College

Mesa, AZ 29.8 miles from Goodyear BOC Score 54.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,034
Avg net price $12,132/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 94

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale, AZ 31.2 miles from Goodyear BOC Score 54.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 17%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,905
Avg net price $13,336/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,358
Out‑of‑state$8,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Paradise Valley Community College

Phoenix, AZ 33.8 miles from Goodyear BOC Score 51.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,196
Avg net price $12,180/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

Scottsdale, AZ 45.1 miles from Goodyear BOC Score 61.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,668
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Forensic Science Wages Near Goodyear

Goodyear is part of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (BLS area code 38060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arizona statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$65,220Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$63,136
Detective and Criminal Investigator$98,860Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$95,702
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$85,050Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$82,333

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.


Goodyear at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population102,891Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$101,814Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)103.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Goodyear-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Goodyear, AZ?

Our directory has 11 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Goodyear. The closest is South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, AZ (20.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Paradise Valley Community College (33.8 miles). 8 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Goodyear?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Goodyear are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($98,860), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($85,050), Forensic Science Technician ($65,220). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arizona statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Avondale instead of Goodyear?

Avondale, AZ is 8.9 miles from Goodyear and has its own set of local forensic science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Goodyear an affordable place to study forensic science?

Goodyear’s median household income of $101,814 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Goodyear while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arizona 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 Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Goodyear

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

Data verified: August 11, 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.