Best Forensic Science Schools Near Delaware, OH (2026)

Delaware, Ohio has 10 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $7,491 to $41,164 per year for indexed programs. Delaware has a population of about 43,168. Median household income is $92,928 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 45.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Columbus, OH metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer at a median $100,890 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to Delaware

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

#1

Ohio Northern University

Ada, OH 51.8 miles from Delaware BOC Score 65.1
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,928
Avg net price $24,478/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Cedarville University

Cedarville, OH 53.8 miles from Delaware BOC Score 66.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,443
Avg net price $24,468/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Ashland University

Ashland, OH 55.9 miles from Delaware BOC Score 52.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,928
Avg net price $21,988/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,210
Out‑of‑state$31,210
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

The University of Findlay

Findlay, OH 60.9 miles from Delaware BOC Score 50.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,996
Avg net price $27,221/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Wright State University-Main Campus

Dayton, OH 62.5 miles from Delaware BOC Score 45.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,500
Avg net price $15,415/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Ohio University-Main Campus

Athens, OH 84.0 miles from Delaware BOC Score 63.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,581
Avg net price $21,637/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 86

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Miami University-Middletown

Middletown, OH 85.8 miles from Delaware BOC Score 45.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,076
Avg net price $10,809/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,491
Out‑of‑state$19,407
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Defiance College

Defiance, OH 96.9 miles from Delaware BOC Score 34.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,351
Avg net price $26,337/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Forensic Science Wages Near Delaware

Delaware is part of the Columbus, OH metro area (BLS area code 18140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$78,170Columbus, OH$81,853
Detective and Criminal Investigator$79,000Columbus, OH$82,723
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$100,890Columbus, OH$105,644

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.


Delaware at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population43,168Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$92,928Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+45.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Delaware-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Delaware, OH?

Our directory has 10 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Delaware. The closest is Ohio Northern University in Ada, OH (51.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Akron Main Campus (98.4 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Delaware are: Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($100,890), Detective and Criminal Investigator ($79,000), Forensic Science Technician ($78,170). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Dublin instead of Delaware?

Dublin, OH is 12.7 miles from Delaware 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 Delaware an affordable place to study forensic science?

Delaware’s median household income of $92,928 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Delaware while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio 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 Delaware

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

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.