Best Forensic Science Schools Near Lake City, FL (2026)

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

Lake City, Florida is home to about 12,404 residents. Median household income is $51,175 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Florida, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $77,060 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Lake City

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

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL 140.0 miles from Lake City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
80.8 BOC Score
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: 130

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

The University of Tampa

Tampa, FL 155.2 miles from Lake City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.0 BOC Score
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: 73

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

#3

Hillsborough Community College

Tampa, FL 156.2 miles from Lake City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.2 BOC Score
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: 88

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

St Petersburg College

St. Petersburg, FL 166.9 miles from Lake City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.6 BOC Score
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: 75

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Eastern Florida State College

Melbourne, FL 183.5 miles from Lake City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
63.6 BOC Score
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: 69

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

#6

Florida SouthWestern State College

Fort Myers, FL 255.5 miles from Lake City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.7 BOC Score
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: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, FL 262.8 miles from Lake City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
68.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 63%
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,560
Avg net price $12,568/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,118
Out‑of‑state$25,162
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 70

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

#8

Pensacola State College

Pensacola, FL 272.3 miles from Lake City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,739
Avg net price $3,957/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Lake City

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Florida, statewide)
Forensic Science Technician$64,140
Detective and Criminal Investigator$77,060
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$74,470

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.

Lake City at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population12,404Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$51,175Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+25.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Lake City-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying forensic science roles in Florida?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles in Florida are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($77,060), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($74,470), Forensic Science Technician ($64,140). Wages for Lake City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Gainesville instead of Lake City?

Gainesville, FL is 39.5 miles from Lake City 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 Lake City an affordable place to study forensic science?

Lake City’s median household income of $51,175 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lake City 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 Lake City

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

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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