Worcester, Massachusetts has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $47,970 to $86,285 per year for indexed programs. Worcester has a population of about 205,501. Median household income is $67,544 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Worcester, MA metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $89,270 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Forensic Science Schools to Worcester
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Worcester, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Worcester 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 Worcester.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$46,651
Avg net price
$28,333/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 61%
- Programs offered: 28
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$49,705
Avg net price
$27,511/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 71%
- Programs offered: 49
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
88%
Graduation rate
50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$54,400
Avg net price
$29,207/yr
TuitionIn‑state$47,970
Out‑of‑state$47,970
Key stats- Retention rate: 67%
- Programs offered: 34
Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher Education · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$64,874
Avg net price
$17,163/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 83%
- Programs offered: 97
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
11%
Graduation rate
89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$83,238
Avg net price
$24,402/yr
TuitionIn‑state$68,102
Out‑of‑state$68,102
Key stats- Retention rate: 95%
- Programs offered: 228
Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher Education · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
76%
Graduation rate
67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$68,245
Avg net price
$26,706/yr
TuitionIn‑state$48,550
Out‑of‑state$48,550
Key stats- Retention rate: 79%
- Programs offered: 52
Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher Education · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$73,157
Avg net price
$27,290/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 74%
- Programs offered: 59
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$55,383
Avg net price
$14,271/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 71%
- Programs offered: 42
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Massachusetts schools on the Massachusetts forensic science page.
Forensic Science Wages Near Worcester
Worcester is part of the Worcester, MA metro area (BLS area code 49340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Forensic Science Technician | $79,320 | MA statewide | $77,385 |
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $89,270 | Worcester, MA | $87,093 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $80,210 | Worcester, MA | $78,254 |
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.
Worcester at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 205,501 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $67,544 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 34.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 102.5 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Worcester-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs
- Marlborough, MA – 14.4 mi away (39,697 pop)
- Leominster, MA – 17.4 mi away (119,538 pop)
- Fitchburg, MA – 22.2 mi away (40,414 pop)
- Gardner, MA – 23.5 mi away (20,430 pop)
- Woonsocket, RI – 24.4 mi away (41,406 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited forensic science schools are near Worcester, MA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Worcester. The closest is Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA (7.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Boston University (36.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Worcester?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Worcester are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($89,270), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($80,210), Forensic Science Technician ($79,320). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Marlborough instead of Worcester?
Marlborough, MA is 14.4 miles from Worcester 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 Worcester an affordable place to study forensic science?
Worcester’s median household income of $67,544 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Worcester while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts 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 Worcester
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- Construction Management programs in Worcester, MA
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- Financial Technology programs in Worcester, MA
- Forensic Accounting programs in Worcester, MA
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- Hospitality Management programs in Worcester, MA
- International Business programs in Worcester, MA
- Organizational Leadership programs in Worcester, MA
- Management Information Systems programs in Worcester, MA
- Nonprofit Management programs in Worcester, MA
- Operations Management programs in Worcester, MA
- Public Administration programs in Worcester, MA
- Real Estate programs in Worcester, MA
- Recreation Management programs in Worcester, MA
- Retail Management programs in Worcester, MA
- Risk Management programs in Worcester, MA
- Statistics programs in Worcester, MA
- Taxation programs in Worcester, MA
- Corrections programs in Worcester, MA
- Crime Analysis programs in Worcester, MA
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Worcester, MA
- Criminology programs in Worcester, MA
- Cybercrime programs in Worcester, MA
- Emergency Management programs in Worcester, MA
- Fire Science programs in Worcester, MA
- Legal Services programs in Worcester, MA
- Legal Studies programs in Worcester, MA
- Paralegal programs in Worcester, MA
- Security Management programs in Worcester, MA
- Cloud Computing programs in Worcester, MA
- Computer Engineering programs in Worcester, MA
- Innovation programs in Worcester, MA
- Mobile App Development programs in Worcester, MA
- Software Development programs in Worcester, MA
- User Experience programs in Worcester, MA
- Web Development programs in Worcester, MA
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Worcester, MA
- Machine Learning programs in Worcester, MA
- Supply Chain Management programs in Worcester, MA
- Data Analytics programs in Worcester, MA
- Public Health programs in Worcester, MA
- Human Resources programs in Worcester, MA
- Project Management programs in Worcester, MA
- Special Education programs in Worcester, MA
- Homeland Security programs in Worcester, MA
- Marketing programs in Worcester, MA
- Finance programs in Worcester, MA
- Kinesiology programs in Worcester, MA
- Sports Management programs in Worcester, MA
- Early Childhood Education programs in Worcester, MA
- Elementary Education programs in Worcester, MA
- Biology programs in Worcester, MA
- Communications programs in Worcester, MA
- Graphic Design programs in Worcester, MA
- Human Services programs in Worcester, MA
- MBA programs in Worcester, MA
- Criminal Justice programs in Worcester, MA
- Nursing programs in Worcester, MA
- Business Administration programs in Worcester, MA
- Computer Science programs in Worcester, MA
- Psychology programs in Worcester, MA
- Education programs in Worcester, MA
- Engineering programs in Worcester, MA
- Technology programs in Worcester, MA
- Liberal Arts programs in Worcester, MA
- Healthcare programs in Worcester, MA
- Cybersecurity programs in Worcester, MA
- Accounting programs in Worcester, MA
- Healthcare Administration programs in Worcester, MA
- Social Work programs in Worcester, MA
- Counseling programs in Worcester, MA
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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