Best Forensic Science Schools Near Collinsville, IL (2026)

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

Collinsville, Illinois has 2 accredited schools offering forensic science programs. Collinsville has a population of about 24,126. Median household income is $65,170 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $80,930 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Collinsville

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

Lake Land College

Mattoon, IL 101.1 miles from Collinsville
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
53.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,877
Avg net price $2,254/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,415
Out‑of‑state$14,301
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Illinois Valley Community College

Oglesby, IL 188.0 miles from Collinsville
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,810
Avg net price $2,232/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,200
Out‑of‑state$16,385
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL 226.5 miles from Collinsville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
73.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,099
Avg net price $17,028/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,200
Out‑of‑state$39,200
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Kishwaukee College

Malta, IL 233.0 miles from Collinsville
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
66.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,657
Avg net price $4,574/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,560
Out‑of‑state$13,680
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Illinois Chicago

Chicago, IL 253.2 miles from Collinsville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
79.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,740
Avg net price $10,974/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 140

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

William Rainey Harper College

Palatine, IL 256.3 miles from Collinsville
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,071
Avg net price $11,607/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Oakton College

Des Plaines, IL 259.2 miles from Collinsville
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 16%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,852
Avg net price $5,183/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, IL 260.8 miles from Collinsville
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,530
Avg net price $36,079/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Collinsville

Collinsville is part of the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area (BLS area code 41180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$62,760St. Louis, MO-IL$65,994
Detective and Criminal Investigator$80,930St. Louis, MO-IL$85,100
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$73,240St. Louis, MO-IL$77,014

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.

Collinsville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,126Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$65,170Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+29.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Collinsville-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Collinsville, IL?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Collinsville. The closest is Saint Louis University in Saint Louis, MO (12.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Maryville University of Saint Louis (27.1 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Collinsville are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($80,930), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($73,240), Forensic Science Technician ($62,760). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in O’Fallon instead of Collinsville?

O’Fallon, IL is 7.3 miles from Collinsville 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 Collinsville an affordable place to study forensic science?

Collinsville’s median household income of $65,170 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Collinsville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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 Collinsville

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

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.

Back to Best Forensic Science Schools in Illinois (2026)