Best Forensic Science Schools Near Watertown, NY (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Watertown, New York has 2 accredited schools offering forensic science programs. Watertown has a population of about 24,574. Median household income is $49,692 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $106,110 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Watertown

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY 65.7 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
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: 186

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Roberts Wesleyan University

Rochester, NY 111.3 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.1 BOC Score
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: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Binghamton University

Vestal, NY 130.3 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
81.5 BOC Score
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: 110

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University at Albany

Albany, NY 137.5 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
75.4 BOC Score
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: 103

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY 152.1 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.7 BOC Score
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: 61

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

SUNY Buffalo State University

Buffalo, NY 165.5 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
48.8 BOC Score
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: 86

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Hilbert College

Hamburg, NY 168.7 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
43.1 BOC Score
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: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

St. Thomas Aquinas College

Sparkill, NY 226.1 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,909
Avg net price $19,994/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Watertown

Watertown is part of the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metro area (BLS area code 48060). 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$93,124
Detective and Criminal Investigator$106,110Watertown-Fort Drum, NY$120,992
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$79,540Watertown-Fort Drum, NY$90,696

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.

Watertown at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,574Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$49,692Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+25.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)87.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Watertown-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Watertown. The closest is Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY (65.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Herkimer County Community College (79.2 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Watertown are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($106,110), Forensic Science Technician ($81,670), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($79,540). 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 Oswego instead of Watertown?

Oswego, NY is 46.6 miles from Watertown 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 Watertown an affordable place to study forensic science?

Watertown’s median household income of $49,692 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Watertown 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 Watertown

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

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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