Best Forensic Science Schools Near Johnstown, PA (2026)

Johnstown, Pennsylvania has 12 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $4,752 to $48,986 per year for indexed programs. Johnstown has a population of about 18,245. Median household income is $34,784 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 14.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Pennsylvania, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $97,580 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to Johnstown

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

#1

Seton Hill University

Greensburg, PA 33.5 miles from Johnstown BOC Score 60.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,748
Avg net price $22,204/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, PA 56.9 miles from Johnstown BOC Score 71.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 79%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $74,742
Avg net price $37,730/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Point Park University

Pittsburgh, PA 57.5 miles from Johnstown BOC Score 41.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,856
Avg net price $25,942/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PA 64.8 miles from Johnstown BOC Score 62.5
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 61%
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,435
Avg net price $32,875/yr
Tuition
In‑state$20,644
Out‑of‑state$41,790
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Waynesburg University

Waynesburg, PA 73.1 miles from Johnstown BOC Score 60.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,537
Avg net price $18,235/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Pittsburgh-Bradford

Bradford, PA 112.7 miles from Johnstown BOC Score 42.8
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,125
Avg net price $15,350/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA 118.6 miles from Johnstown BOC Score 66.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,012
Avg net price $18,556/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,588
Out‑of‑state$25,588
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Mercyhurst University

Erie, PA 136.3 miles from Johnstown BOC Score 57.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,452
Avg net price $19,444/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Forensic Science Wages Near Johnstown

Johnstown is part of the Johnstown, PA metro area (BLS area code 27780). 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$71,688
Detective and Criminal Investigator$97,580PA statewide$113,597
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$59,240Johnstown, PA$68,964

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.


Johnstown at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population18,245Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$34,784Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+14.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)85.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Johnstown-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 12 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Johnstown. The closest is Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, PA (19.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Blue Ridge Community and Technical College (78.4 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Johnstown are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($97,580), Forensic Science Technician ($61,580), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($59,240). 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 Indiana instead of Johnstown?

Indiana, PA is 23.9 miles from Johnstown 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 Johnstown an affordable place to study forensic science?

Johnstown’s median household income of $34,784 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Johnstown 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 Johnstown

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

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.