Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $10,567 to $57,206 per year for indexed programs. Wilkes-Barre has a population of about 44,217. Median household income is $47,970 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.4% 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 Wilkes-Barre
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic science programs near Wilkes-Barre, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Wilkes-Barre 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Wilkes-Barre.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$74,652
Avg net price
$32,568/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 86%
- Programs offered: 75
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$44,976
Avg net price
$22,051/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 59%
- Programs offered: 35
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$63,435
Avg net price
$19,659/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 80%
- Programs offered: 15
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
84%
Graduation rate
59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$59,460
Avg net price
$18,659/yr
TuitionIn‑state$46,314
Out‑of‑state$46,314
Key stats- Retention rate: 74%
- Programs offered: 52
Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher Education · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$55,055
Avg net price
$28,138/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 72%
- Programs offered: 50
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
87%
Graduation rate
39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$52,374
Avg net price
$15,376/yr
TuitionIn‑state$24,400
Out‑of‑state$24,400
Key stats- Retention rate: 73%
- Programs offered: 26
Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher Education · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
74%
Graduation rate
53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$52,015
Avg net price
$27,970/yr
TuitionIn‑state$39,870
Out‑of‑state$39,870
Key stats- Retention rate: 64%
- Programs offered: 45
Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher Education · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$58,336
Avg net price
$29,466/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 80%
- Programs offered: 64
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Pennsylvania schools on the Pennsylvania forensic science page.
Forensic Science Wages Near Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre 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.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Forensic Science Technician | $61,580 | PA statewide | $65,791 |
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $81,500 | Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA | $87,073 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer | $72,210 | Scranton–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.
Wilkes-Barre at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 44,217 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $47,970 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 19.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 93.6 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Wilkes-Barre-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs
- Scranton, PA – 15.4 mi away (387,448 pop)
- Hazleton, PA – 21.1 mi away (55,301 pop)
- Mount Pocono, PA – 28.3 mi away (23,308 pop)
- Bloomsburg, PA – 34.6 mi away (52,637 pop)
- East Stroudsburg, PA – 40.1 mi away (56,230 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited forensic science schools are near Wilkes-Barre, PA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Wilkes-Barre. The closest is University of Scranton in Scranton, PA (15.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Binghamton University (58.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Wilkes-Barre?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Wilkes-Barre 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 Scranton instead of Wilkes-Barre?
Scranton, PA is 15.4 miles from Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre an affordable place to study forensic science?
Wilkes-Barre’s median household income of $47,970 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Wilkes-Barre:
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- Statistics programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Taxation programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Corrections programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Crime Analysis programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Criminology programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Cybercrime programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Emergency Management programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Fire Science programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Legal Services programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
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- Paralegal programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Security Management programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Cloud Computing programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Computer Engineering programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Innovation programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Mobile App Development programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Software Development programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- User Experience programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Web Development programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Machine Learning programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Supply Chain Management programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Data Analytics programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Public Health programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Human Resources programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Project Management programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Special Education programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Homeland Security programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Marketing programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Finance programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Kinesiology programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Sports Management programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Early Childhood Education programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Elementary Education programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Biology programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Communications programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Graphic Design programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Human Services programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- MBA programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Criminal Justice programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Nursing programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Business Administration programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Computer Science programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Psychology programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Education programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Engineering programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Technology programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Liberal Arts programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Healthcare programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Cybersecurity programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Accounting programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Healthcare Administration programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Social Work programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
- Counseling programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
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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