Best Forensic Science Schools Near Ithaca, NY (2026)

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

Ithaca, New York has 7 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $5,776 to $65,528 per year for indexed programs. Ithaca has a population of about 31,792. Median household income is $48,617 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 70.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In New York, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $101,240 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Ithaca

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

#1

Binghamton University

Vestal, NY 36.2 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 81.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 39%
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,596
Avg net price $21,620/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,567
Out‑of‑state$30,447
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY 45.2 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 74.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $79,164
Avg net price $38,793/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY 67.4 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 70.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,445
Avg net price $15,016/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,892
Out‑of‑state$16,837
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Roberts Wesleyan University

Rochester, NY 80.8 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 63.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,031
Avg net price $23,130/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

SUNY Brockport

Brockport, NY 90.5 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 62.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,496
Avg net price $16,353/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,752
Out‑of‑state$15,822
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Hilbert College

Hamburg, NY 119.8 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 43.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,309
Avg net price $22,723/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

SUNY Buffalo State University

Buffalo, NY 125.7 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 48.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 73%
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,334
Avg net price $11,346/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,533
Out‑of‑state$19,653
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University at Albany

Albany, NY 137.2 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 75.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 69%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,979
Avg net price $17,167/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,866
Out‑of‑state$31,256
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Ithaca

Ithaca is part of the Ithaca, NY metro area (BLS area code 27060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$81,670NY statewide$79,061
Detective and Criminal Investigator$101,240NY statewide$98,006
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$84,320Ithaca, NY$81,626

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.

Ithaca at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population31,792Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$48,617Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+70.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)103.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Ithaca-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Ithaca, NY?

Our directory has 7 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Ithaca. The closest is Binghamton University in Vestal, NY (36.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Herkimer County Community College (86.1 miles). 6 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Ithaca are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($101,240), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($84,320), Forensic Science Technician ($81,670). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Cortland instead of Ithaca?

Cortland, NY is 19.7 miles from Ithaca 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 Ithaca an affordable place to study forensic science?

Ithaca’s median household income of $48,617 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ithaca while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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 Ithaca

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

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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