Best Forensic Science Schools Near Burbank, CA (2026)

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

Burbank, California has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $1,388 to $21,391 per year for indexed programs. Burbank has a population of about 5,552. Median household income is $152,559 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 46.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $127,890 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Burbank

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

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 12.2 miles from Burbank
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
73.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,211
Avg net price $3,967/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,160
Out‑of‑state$19,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

East Los Angeles College

Monterey Park, CA 14.3 miles from Burbank
  • 2 year
41.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,006
Avg net price $10,852/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 88

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Rio Hondo College

Whittier, CA 20.3 miles from Burbank
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
59.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,950
Avg net price $14,379/yr
Tuition
In‑state$1,388
Out‑of‑state$9,884
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

El Camino Community College District

Torrance, CA 20.9 miles from Burbank
  • 2 year
51.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,589
Avg net price $5,968/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Long Beach City College

Long Beach, CA 26.7 miles from Burbank
  • 2 year
43.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,870
Avg net price $6,202/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Norco College

Norco, CA 47.0 miles from Burbank
  • 2 year
57.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,206
Avg net price $5,169/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA 54.4 miles from Burbank
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,504
Avg net price $26,285/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 98

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Riverside City College

Riverside, CA 55.8 miles from Burbank
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
45.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,091
Avg net price $8,377/yr
Tuition
In‑state$1,428
Out‑of‑state$12,498
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 75

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Burbank

Burbank is part of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (BLS area code 31080). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$104,410Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$91,910
Detective and Criminal Investigator$127,890Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$112,579
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$121,980Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$107,377

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.

Burbank at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population5,552Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$152,559Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+46.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)113.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Burbank-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Burbank, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Burbank. The closest is California State University-Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA (12.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Long Beach City College (26.7 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Burbank are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($127,890), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($121,980), Forensic Science Technician ($104,410). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Glendale instead of Burbank?

Glendale, CA is 4.4 miles from Burbank 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 Burbank an affordable place to study forensic science?

Burbank’s median household income of $152,559 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Burbank while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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 Burbank

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

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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