Best Forensic Science Schools Near Rockingham, NC (2026)

Rockingham, North Carolina has 13 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $2,040 to $16,664 per year for indexed programs. Rockingham has a population of about 9,094. Median household income is $36,695 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $63,280 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to Rockingham

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

#1

St. Andrews University

Laurinburg, NC 20.9 miles from Rockingham
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Sandhills Community College

Pinehurst, NC 27.9 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 58.9
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,656
Avg net price $4,157/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Fayetteville Technical Community College

Fayetteville, NC 48.0 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 45.5
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,861
Avg net price $3,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 75

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, NC 50.0 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 49.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,144
Avg net price $7,892/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Central Carolina Community College

Sanford, NC 50.6 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 60.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,525
Avg net price $5,446/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Central Piedmont Community College

Charlotte, NC 63.5 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 52.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,865
Avg net price $3,345/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 89

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Wake Technical Community College

Raleigh, NC 77.2 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 55.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,769
Avg net price $8,759/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Alamance Community College

Graham, NC 81.1 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 50.9
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,241
Avg net price $6,109/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Forensic Science Wages Near Rockingham

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Forensic Science Technician$59,240
Detective and Criminal Investigator$63,280
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$59,300

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.


Rockingham at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population9,094Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$36,695Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Rockingham-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Rockingham, NC?

Our directory has 13 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Rockingham. The closest is St. Andrews University in Laurinburg, NC (20.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Forsyth Technical Community College (83.2 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying forensic science roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles in North Carolina are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($63,280), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($59,300), Forensic Science Technician ($59,240). Wages for Rockingham workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Laurinburg instead of Rockingham?

Laurinburg, NC is 20.2 miles from Rockingham 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 Rockingham an affordable place to study forensic science?

Rockingham’s median household income of $36,695 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rockingham while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Rockingham

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.