Best Forensic Science Schools Near Fernandina Beach, FL (2026)

Fernandina Beach, Florida has 1 accredited school offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $5,750 to $19,043 per year for indexed programs. Fernandina Beach has a population of about 13,239. Median household income is $92,535 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Jacksonville, FL metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer at a median $78,810 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to Fernandina Beach

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

#1

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL 143.1 miles from Fernandina Beach 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 178.2 miles from Fernandina Beach 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 183.4 miles from Fernandina Beach 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 197.0 miles from Fernandina Beach 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 197.8 miles from Fernandina Beach 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 213.4 miles from Fernandina Beach 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 233.3 miles from Fernandina Beach 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 285.1 miles from Fernandina Beach 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 Fernandina Beach

Fernandina Beach is part of the Jacksonville, FL metro area (BLS area code 27260). 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$59,020Jacksonville, FL$59,317
Detective and Criminal Investigator$74,580Jacksonville, FL$74,955
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$78,810Jacksonville, FL$79,206

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.


Fernandina Beach at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population13,239Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$92,535Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+51.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)99.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Fernandina Beach-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Fernandina Beach, FL?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Fernandina Beach. The closest is Savannah State University in Savannah, GA (97.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Savannah State University (97.1 miles).

What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Fernandina Beach?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Fernandina Beach are: Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($78,810), Detective and Criminal Investigator ($74,580), Forensic Science Technician ($59,020). 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 Saint Marys instead of Fernandina Beach?

Saint Marys, GA is 9.9 miles from Fernandina Beach 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 Fernandina Beach an affordable place to study forensic science?

Fernandina Beach’s median household income of $92,535 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fernandina Beach 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 Fernandina Beach

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

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.