Best Forensic Science Schools Near Hazleton, PA (2026)

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

Hazleton, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $46,314 to $57,206 per year for indexed programs. Hazleton has a population of about 29,886. Median household income is $43,379 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 11.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $81,500 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Hazleton

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Hazleton, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hazleton 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 Hazleton. 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

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill

Schuylkill Haven, PA 23.7 miles from Hazleton
  • 4 year
40.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,435
Avg net price $19,659/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Cedar Crest College

Allentown, PA 34.6 miles from Hazleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
56.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 84%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,460
Avg net price $18,659/yr
Tuition
In‑state$46,314
Out‑of‑state$46,314
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Scranton

Scranton, PA 35.5 miles from Hazleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $74,652
Avg net price $32,568/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 75

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Keystone College

La Plume, PA 43.3 miles from Hazleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,976
Avg net price $22,051/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Alvernia University

Reading, PA 44.3 miles from Hazleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,055
Avg net price $28,138/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

Harrisburg, PA 67.3 miles from Hazleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
45.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 87%
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,374
Avg net price $15,376/yr
Tuition
In‑state$24,400
Out‑of‑state$24,400
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Chestnut Hill College

Philadelphia, PA 71.3 miles from Hazleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
45.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,015
Avg net price $27,970/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,870
Out‑of‑state$39,870
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Arcadia University

Glenside, PA 72.9 miles from Hazleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,336
Avg net price $29,466/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Hazleton

Hazleton is part of the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area (BLS area code 42540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$61,580PA statewide$65,791
Detective and Criminal Investigator$81,500Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA$87,073
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$72,210Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA$77,147

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.

Hazleton at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population29,886Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$43,379Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+11.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Hazleton-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Hazleton, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Hazleton. The closest is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill in Schuylkill Haven, PA (23.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Alvernia University (44.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Hazleton are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($81,500), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($72,210), Forensic Science Technician ($61,580). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Wilkes-Barre instead of Hazleton?

Wilkes-Barre, PA is 21.1 miles from Hazleton 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 Hazleton an affordable place to study forensic science?

Hazleton’s median household income of $43,379 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hazleton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Hazleton

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

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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