Valparaiso, Indiana has 7 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $3,894 to $53,710 per year for indexed programs. Valparaiso has a population of about 35,065. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Forensic Science Technician at a median $112,790 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Forensic Science Schools to Valparaiso
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Valparaiso, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
70%
Graduation rate
38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$47,327
Avg net price
$23,206/yr
TuitionIn‑state$31,361
Out‑of‑state$31,361
Key stats- Retention rate: 63%
- Programs offered: 42
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$47,327
Avg net price
$20,473/yr
TuitionIn‑state$9,896
Out‑of‑state$9,896
Key stats- Retention rate: 48%
- Programs offered: 34
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$57,165
Avg net price
$25,355/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 83%
- Programs offered: 28
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
76%
Graduation rate
54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$55,198
Avg net price
$11,668/yr
TuitionIn‑state$10,762
Out‑of‑state$34,891
Key stats- Retention rate: 72%
- Programs offered: 97
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Indiana schools on the Indiana forensic science page.
Forensic Science Wages Near Valparaiso
Valparaiso is part of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (BLS area code 16980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Indiana statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Forensic Science Technician | $112,790 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $108,871 |
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $102,260 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $98,707 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $107,810 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $104,064 |
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.
Valparaiso at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 103.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Valparaiso-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs
- Portage, IN – 10.0 mi away (36,505 pop)
- Hobart, IN – 11.7 mi away (28,248 pop)
- Merrillville, IN – 13.9 mi away (34,994 pop)
- Crown Point, IN – 15.9 mi away (29,176 pop)
- Gary, IN – 17.2 mi away (76,424 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited forensic science schools are near Valparaiso, IN?
Our directory has 7 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Valparaiso. The closest is Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, IL (38.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Kishwaukee College (99.6 miles). 7 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Valparaiso?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Valparaiso are: Forensic Science Technician ($112,790), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($107,810), Detective and Criminal Investigator ($102,260). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Indiana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Portage instead of Valparaiso?
Portage, IN is 10.0 miles from Valparaiso 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.
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
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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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