Best Forensic Science Schools Near Shelbyville, TN (2026)

Shelbyville, Tennessee has 1 accredited school offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $10,266 to $31,574 per year for indexed programs. Shelbyville has a population of about 24,125. Median household income is $52,290 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 11.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Tennessee, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $77,090 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to Shelbyville

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

#1

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN 24.7 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 56.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,541
Avg net price $13,359/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Tennessee Wesleyan University

Athens, TN 104.7 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 48.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,989
Avg net price $14,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Union University

Jackson, TN 135.7 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 58.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,990
Avg net price $27,171/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lincoln Memorial University

Harrogate, TN 172.6 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 51.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,956
Avg net price $20,406/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, TN 235.2 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 51.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,859
Avg net price $15,983/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

King University

Bristol, TN 251.3 miles from Shelbyville BOC Score 56.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,831
Avg net price $22,347/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Forensic Science Wages Near Shelbyville

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Tennessee, statewide)
Forensic Science Technician$70,500
Detective and Criminal Investigator$77,090
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$59,280

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.


Shelbyville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,125Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$52,290Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+11.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Shelbyville-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Shelbyville, TN?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Shelbyville. The closest is Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN (24.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Middle Tennessee State University (24.6 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles in Tennessee are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($77,090), Forensic Science Technician ($70,500), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($59,280). Wages for Shelbyville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Murfreesboro instead of Shelbyville?

Murfreesboro, TN is 24.4 miles from Shelbyville 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 Shelbyville an affordable place to study forensic science?

Shelbyville’s median household income of $52,290 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Shelbyville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee 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 Shelbyville

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

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.