Best Forensic Science Schools Near DeLand, FL (2026)

DeLand, Florida has 4 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $2,496 to $30,000 per year for indexed programs. DeLand has a population of about 39,832. Median household income is $73,352 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Florida, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Forensic Science Technician at a median $64,140 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to DeLand

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

#1

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL 29.7 miles from DeLand BOC Score 80.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,308
Avg net price $10,411/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,368
Out‑of‑state$22,467
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Eastern Florida State College

Melbourne, FL 69.7 miles from DeLand BOC Score 63.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,195
Avg net price $6,440/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,496
Out‑of‑state$9,739
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 94

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Pasco-Hernando State College

New Port Richey, FL 101.7 miles from DeLand BOC Score 65.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,903
Avg net price $5,203/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

The University of Tampa

Tampa, FL 103.0 miles from DeLand BOC Score 58.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,436
Avg net price $36,211/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,408
Out‑of‑state$34,408
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Hillsborough Community College

Tampa, FL 103.4 miles from DeLand BOC Score 61.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,782
Avg net price $3,861/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 107

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

St Petersburg College

St. Petersburg, FL 120.9 miles from DeLand BOC Score 74.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,557
Avg net price $1,471/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, FL 124.3 miles from DeLand BOC Score 68.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,315
Avg net price $3,815/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 125

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Florida SouthWestern State College

Fort Myers, FL 174.7 miles from DeLand BOC Score 66.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,421
Avg net price $7,247/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Forensic Science Wages Near DeLand

DeLand is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL metro area (BLS area code 19660). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$64,140FL statewide$64,527
Detective and Criminal Investigator$58,090Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL$58,441
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$53,510Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL$53,833

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.


DeLand at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population39,832Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,352Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+33.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)99.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other DeLand-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near DeLand, FL?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near DeLand. The closest is University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL (29.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Pasco-Hernando State College (97.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near DeLand are: Forensic Science Technician ($64,140), Detective and Criminal Investigator ($58,090), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($53,510). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Deltona instead of DeLand?

Deltona, FL is 9.3 miles from DeLand 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 DeLand an affordable place to study forensic science?

DeLand’s median household income of $73,352 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in DeLand while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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 DeLand

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

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.