Best Forensic Science Schools Near Saint Paul, MN (2026)

Saint Paul, Minnesota has 1 accredited school offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $50,004 to $50,004 per year for indexed programs. Saint Paul has a population of about 307,762. Median household income is $73,055 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 43.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer at a median $97,190 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to Saint Paul

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Saint Paul, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Saint Paul 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 Saint Paul. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Hamline University

Saint Paul, MN 3.3 miles from Saint Paul BOC Score 66.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,106
Avg net price $20,744/yr
Tuition
In‑state$50,004
Out‑of‑state$50,004
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Forensic Science Wages Near Saint Paul

Saint Paul is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area (BLS area code 33460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$76,960Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$73,435
Detective and Criminal Investigator$85,300Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$81,393
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$97,190Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$92,739

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.


Saint Paul at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population307,762Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,055Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+43.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)104.8 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Saint Paul-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Saint Paul, MN?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Saint Paul. The closest is Hamline University in Saint Paul, MN (3.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hamline University (3.2 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Saint Paul?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Saint Paul are: Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($97,190), Detective and Criminal Investigator ($85,300), Forensic Science Technician ($76,960). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Maplewood instead of Saint Paul?

Maplewood, MN is 4.6 miles from Saint Paul 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 Saint Paul an affordable place to study forensic science?

Saint Paul’s median household income of $73,055 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Saint Paul while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 Saint Paul

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

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.