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Best Forensic Science Schools Near Burlington, IA (2026)
Updated August 31, 2026BLS dataCollege ScorecardOn this page
Burlington, Iowa is home to about 23,800 residents. Median household income is $55,274 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $79,560 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Forensic Science Schools to Burlington
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Burlington, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Burlington 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 Burlington.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
BOC
Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa forensic science page.
Forensic Science Wages Near Burlington
Occupation
Median Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Forensic Science Technician
$67,060
Detective and Criminal Investigator
$79,560
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.
Burlington at a Glance
Metric
Value
Source
Population
23,800
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income
$55,274
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+
23.0%
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Other Burlington-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs
What are the highest-paying forensic science roles in Iowa?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles in Iowa are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($79,560), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($74,470), Forensic Science Technician ($67,060). Wages for Burlington workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Galesburg instead of Burlington?
Galesburg, IL is 40.3 miles from Burlington 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 Burlington an affordable place to study forensic science?
Burlington’s median household income of $55,274 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Burlington while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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.
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.
