Best Forensic Science Schools Near Lancaster, PA (2026)

Updated August 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Lancaster, Pennsylvania has 31 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $9,992 to $57,150 per year for indexed programs. Lancaster has a population of about 57,683. Median household income is $63,421 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lancaster, PA metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $97,190 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Lancaster

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

#1

York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA 23.5 miles from Lancaster 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

#2

Alvernia University

Reading, PA 26.8 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 53.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Cedar Crest College

Allentown, PA 55.6 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 56.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
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: 21

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Chestnut Hill College

Philadelphia, PA 56.9 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 45.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
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: 26

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Philadelphia, PA 57.4 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $138,767
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Drexel University

Philadelphia, PA 59.0 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 71.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $84,648
Avg net price $38,509/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Arcadia University

Glenside, PA 60.2 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 56.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

La Salle University

Philadelphia, PA 60.8 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 64.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,416
Avg net price $19,409/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Lancaster

Lancaster is part of the Lancaster, PA metro area (BLS area code 29540). 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$62,645
Detective and Criminal Investigator$97,190Lancaster, PA$98,871
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$86,800Lancaster, PA$88,301

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.

Lancaster at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population57,683Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,421Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+27.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)98.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Lancaster-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 31 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Lancaster. The closest is York College of Pennsylvania in York, PA (23.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Cedar Crest College (55.8 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Lancaster are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($97,190), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($86,800), 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 Lebanon instead of Lancaster?

Lebanon, PA is 21.6 miles from Lancaster 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 Lancaster an affordable place to study forensic science?

Lancaster’s median household income of $63,421 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lancaster 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 Lancaster

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

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.

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