Novato, California has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $1,312 to $50,974 per year for indexed programs. Novato has a population of about 52,689. Median household income is $112,193 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 47.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer at a median $132,000 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Forensic Science Schools to Novato
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Novato, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Novato 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Novato.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
42%
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$80,838
Avg net price
$14,741/yr
TuitionIn‑state$16,774
Out‑of‑state$50,974
Key stats- Retention rate: 93%
- Programs offered: 27
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$78,988
Avg net price
$13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 87%
- Programs offered: 40
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$76,310
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$38,142
Avg net price
$10,800/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 78%
- Programs offered: 20
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
91%
Graduation rate
53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$59,211
Avg net price
$3,967/yr
TuitionIn‑state$7,160
Out‑of‑state$19,760
Key stats- Retention rate: 72%
- Programs offered: 33
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$44,950
Avg net price
$14,379/yr
TuitionIn‑state$1,388
Out‑of‑state$9,884
Key stats- Retention rate: 100%
- Programs offered: 63
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$89,816
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$67,548
Avg net price
$22,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 53%
- Programs offered: 53
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California forensic science page.
Forensic Science Wages Near Novato
Novato is part of the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area (BLS area code 41860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Forensic Science Technician | $109,930 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95,095 |
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $126,700 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $109,602 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $132,000 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $114,187 |
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.
Novato at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 52,689 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $112,193 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 47.5% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 115.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Novato-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs
- San Rafael, CA – 7.3 mi away (58,954 pop)
- Petaluma, CA – 11.0 mi away (66,940 pop)
- Sonoma, CA – 14.7 mi away (33,923 pop)
- San Pablo, CA – 14.7 mi away (30,536 pop)
- Richmond, CA – 15.5 mi away (109,813 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited forensic science schools are near Novato, CA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Novato. The closest is City College of San Francisco in San Francisco, CA (25.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is San Jose State University (64.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Novato?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Novato are: Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($132,000), Detective and Criminal Investigator ($126,700), Forensic Science Technician ($109,930). 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 San Rafael instead of Novato?
San Rafael, CA is 7.3 miles from Novato 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 Novato an affordable place to study forensic science?
Novato’s median household income of $112,193 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Novato 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 Novato
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Novato:
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- Computer Engineering programs in Novato, CA
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- Artificial Intelligence programs in Novato, CA
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- Supply Chain Management programs in Novato, CA
- Data Analytics programs in Novato, CA
- Public Health programs in Novato, CA
- Human Resources programs in Novato, CA
- Project Management programs in Novato, CA
- Special Education programs in Novato, CA
- Homeland Security programs in Novato, CA
- Marketing programs in Novato, CA
- Finance programs in Novato, CA
- Kinesiology programs in Novato, CA
- Sports Management programs in Novato, CA
- Early Childhood Education programs in Novato, CA
- Elementary Education programs in Novato, CA
- Biology programs in Novato, CA
- Communications programs in Novato, CA
- Graphic Design programs in Novato, CA
- Human Services programs in Novato, CA
- MBA programs in Novato, CA
- Criminal Justice programs in Novato, CA
- Nursing programs in Novato, CA
- Business Administration programs in Novato, CA
- Computer Science programs in Novato, CA
- Psychology programs in Novato, CA
- Education programs in Novato, CA
- Engineering programs in Novato, CA
- Technology programs in Novato, CA
- Liberal Arts programs in Novato, CA
- Healthcare programs in Novato, CA
- Cybersecurity programs in Novato, CA
- Accounting programs in Novato, CA
- Healthcare Administration programs in Novato, CA
- Social Work programs in Novato, CA
- Counseling programs in Novato, CA
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.
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