Best Forensic Science Schools Near Gulfport, MS (2026)

Updated August 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Gulfport, Mississippi has 3 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $8,054 to $49,440 per year for indexed programs. Gulfport has a population of about 72,533. Median household income is $46,044 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $57,060 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Gulfport

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

#1

William Carey University

Hattiesburg, MS 62.0 miles from Gulfport BOC Score 49.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 60%
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,087
Avg net price $14,258/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,480
Out‑of‑state$15,480
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 64.4 miles from Gulfport BOC Score 39.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,140
Avg net price $21,708/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Gulfport

Gulfport is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro area (BLS area code 25060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Mississippi statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$52,850MS statewide$58,722
Detective and Criminal Investigator$57,060Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,400
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$48,050Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$53,389

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.

Gulfport at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population72,533Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$46,044Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)90.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Gulfport-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Gulfport, MS?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Gulfport. The closest is University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS (64.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Loyola University New Orleans (71.3 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Gulfport are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($57,060), Forensic Science Technician ($52,850), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($48,050). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Mississippi statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Biloxi instead of Gulfport?

Biloxi, MS is 7.0 miles from Gulfport 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 Gulfport an affordable place to study forensic science?

Gulfport’s median household income of $46,044 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gulfport while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi 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 Gulfport

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

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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