Best Forensic Science Schools Near Horn Lake, MS (2026)

Horn Lake, Mississippi has 4 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $3,312 to $40,025 per year for indexed programs. Horn Lake has a population of about 26,622. Median household income is $56,847 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $78,920 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to Horn Lake

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

#1

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 253.5 miles from Horn Lake 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

#2

William Carey University

Hattiesburg, MS 255.8 miles from Horn Lake 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

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


Forensic Science Wages Near Horn Lake

Horn Lake is part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (BLS area code 32820). 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$59,660Memphis, TN-MS-AR$64,707
Detective and Criminal Investigator$78,920Memphis, TN-MS-AR$85,597
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$75,410Memphis, TN-MS-AR$81,790

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.


Horn Lake at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,622Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,847Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.2 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Horn Lake-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Horn Lake, MS?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Horn Lake. The closest is Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas in Helena, AR (42.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Union University (83.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Horn Lake?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Horn Lake are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($78,920), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($75,410), Forensic Science Technician ($59,660). 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 Southaven instead of Horn Lake?

Southaven, MS is 4.0 miles from Horn Lake 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 Horn Lake an affordable place to study forensic science?

Horn Lake’s median household income of $56,847 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Horn Lake 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 Horn Lake

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

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.