Best Forensic Science Schools Near Oro Valley, AZ (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Oro Valley, Arizona has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $2,358 to $19,281 per year for indexed programs. Oro Valley has a population of about 47,595. Median household income is $105,342 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 57.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Tucson, AZ metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $105,350 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Oro Valley

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Oro Valley, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Oro Valley 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 Oro Valley. 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

Mesa Community College

Mesa, AZ 84.6 miles from Oro Valley
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.1 BOC Score
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: 132

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ 88.4 miles from Oro Valley
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,668
Avg net price $14,967/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 305

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

Scottsdale, AZ 90.5 miles from Oro Valley
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
61.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,668
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 140

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale, AZ 91.8 miles from Oro Valley
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
54.7 BOC Score
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: 87

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Phoenix College

Phoenix, AZ 97.5 miles from Oro Valley
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.7 BOC Score
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: 99

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, AZ 100.7 miles from Oro Valley
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
33.9 BOC Score
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: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Paradise Valley Community College

Phoenix, AZ 103.9 miles from Oro Valley
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.5 BOC Score
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: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Glendale Community College

Glendale, AZ 106.0 miles from Oro Valley
  • 4 year
42.8 BOC Score
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: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Oro Valley

Oro Valley is part of the Tucson, AZ metro area (BLS area code 46060). 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$61,380Tucson, AZ$63,344
Detective and Criminal Investigator$105,350Tucson, AZ$108,720
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$76,970Tucson, AZ$79,432

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.

Oro Valley at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population47,595Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$105,342Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+57.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)96.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Oro Valley-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Oro Valley, AZ?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Oro Valley. The closest is Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Chandler, AZ (76.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Scottsdale Community College (91.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Oro Valley?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Oro Valley are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($105,350), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($76,970), Forensic Science Technician ($61,380). 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 Marana instead of Oro Valley?

Marana, AZ is 10.5 miles from Oro Valley 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 Oro Valley an affordable place to study forensic science?

Oro Valley’s median household income of $105,342 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Oro Valley 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 Oro Valley

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

Data verified: August 31, 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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