Wasco, California has 2 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $1,334 to $36,660 per year for indexed programs. Wasco has a population of about 26,222. Median household income is $55,521 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 7.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $96,760 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Forensic Science Schools to Wasco
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Wasco, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Wasco 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 Wasco.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
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
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$76,310
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$89,816
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source: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
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
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
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
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California forensic science page.
Forensic Science Wages Near Wasco
Wasco is part of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area (BLS area code 12540). 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 | $79,970 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $79,257 |
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $96,760 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $95,897 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $78,130 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $77,433 |
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.
Wasco at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 26,222 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $55,521 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 7.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 100.9 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Wasco-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs
- Shafter, CA – 12.4 mi away (20,183 pop)
- Delano, CA – 13.3 mi away (54,030 pop)
- Bakersfield, CA – 25.0 mi away (567,585 pop)
- Corcoran, CA – 35.6 mi away (23,266 pop)
- Porterville, CA – 37.5 mi away (76,512 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited forensic science schools are near Wasco, CA?
Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Wasco. The closest is Fresno Pacific University in Fresno, CA (80.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Fresno City College (84.6 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Wasco?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Wasco are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($96,760), Forensic Science Technician ($79,970), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($78,130). 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 Shafter instead of Wasco?
Shafter, CA is 12.4 miles from Wasco 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 Wasco an affordable place to study forensic science?
Wasco’s median household income of $55,521 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wasco 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 Wasco
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Wasco:
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- Artificial Intelligence programs in Wasco, CA
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- Supply Chain Management programs in Wasco, CA
- Data Analytics programs in Wasco, CA
- Public Health programs in Wasco, CA
- Human Resources programs in Wasco, CA
- Project Management programs in Wasco, CA
- Special Education programs in Wasco, CA
- Homeland Security programs in Wasco, CA
- Marketing programs in Wasco, CA
- Finance programs in Wasco, CA
- Kinesiology programs in Wasco, CA
- Sports Management programs in Wasco, CA
- Early Childhood Education programs in Wasco, CA
- Elementary Education programs in Wasco, CA
- Biology programs in Wasco, CA
- Communications programs in Wasco, CA
- Graphic Design programs in Wasco, CA
- Human Services programs in Wasco, CA
- MBA programs in Wasco, CA
- Criminal Justice programs in Wasco, CA
- Nursing programs in Wasco, CA
- Business Administration programs in Wasco, CA
- Computer Science programs in Wasco, CA
- Psychology programs in Wasco, CA
- Education programs in Wasco, CA
- Engineering programs in Wasco, CA
- Technology programs in Wasco, CA
- Liberal Arts programs in Wasco, CA
- Healthcare programs in Wasco, CA
- Cybersecurity programs in Wasco, CA
- Accounting programs in Wasco, CA
- Healthcare Administration programs in Wasco, CA
- Social Work programs in Wasco, CA
- Counseling programs in Wasco, 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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