Best Forensic Science Schools Near Anderson, SC (2026)

Anderson, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $3,186 to $31,700 per year for indexed programs. Anderson has a population of about 29,563. Median household income is $44,321 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $62,700 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to Anderson

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

#1

Southern Wesleyan University

Central, SC 15.7 miles from Anderson BOC Score 48.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,756
Avg net price $15,464/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Forensic Science Wages Near Anderson

Anderson is part of the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC metro area (BLS area code 24860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to South Carolina statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$57,820Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC$61,972
Detective and Criminal Investigator$62,700Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC$67,203
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$57,780Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC$61,929

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.


Anderson at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population29,563Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$44,321Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+27.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Anderson-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Anderson, SC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Anderson. The closest is Southern Wesleyan University in Central, SC (15.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Gaston College (99.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Anderson are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($62,700), Forensic Science Technician ($57,820), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($57,780). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with South Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Easley instead of Anderson?

Easley, SC is 20.9 miles from Anderson 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 Anderson an affordable place to study forensic science?

Anderson’s median household income of $44,321 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Anderson while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Carolina 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 Anderson

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.