Best Forensic Science Schools Near Lewistown, PA (2026)

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

Lewistown, Pennsylvania has 12 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $4,752 to $45,000 per year for indexed programs. Lewistown has a population of about 8,505. Median household income is $40,179 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 11.4% 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 Lewistown

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

#1

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PA 20.6 miles from Lewistown 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

#2

York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA 63.1 miles from Lewistown 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

#3

Alvernia University

Reading, PA 88.3 miles from Lewistown 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

#4

Seton Hill University

Greensburg, PA 106.1 miles from Lewistown 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

#5

Cedar Crest College

Allentown, PA 107.6 miles from Lewistown 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

#6

University of Pittsburgh-Bradford

Bradford, PA 109.3 miles from Lewistown 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

Keystone College

La Plume, PA 114.9 miles from Lewistown BOC Score 32.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, PA 127.5 miles from Lewistown 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

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Lewistown

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Pennsylvania, statewide)
Forensic Science Technician$61,580
Detective and Criminal Investigator$97,580
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$85,470

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.

Lewistown at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population8,505Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$40,179Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+11.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Lewistown-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 12 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Lewistown. The closest is Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus in University Park, PA (20.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is American Public University System (91.7 miles). 8 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying forensic science roles in Pennsylvania?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles in Pennsylvania are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($97,580), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($85,470), Forensic Science Technician ($61,580). Wages for Lewistown workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in State College instead of Lewistown?

State College, PA is 20.0 miles from Lewistown 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 Lewistown an affordable place to study forensic science?

Lewistown’s median household income of $40,179 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lewistown 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 Lewistown

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

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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