Best Forensic Science Schools Near Houston, TX (2026)

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

Houston, Texas has 3 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $8,905 to $40,124 per year for indexed programs. Houston has a population of about 2,300,419. Median household income is $62,894 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $86,390 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Science Schools to Houston

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

#1

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX 64.7 miles from Houston BOC Score 60.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,211
Avg net price $16,404/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,228
Out‑of‑state$19,068
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX 80.7 miles from Houston BOC Score 81.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,097
Avg net price $21,315/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX 144.5 miles from Houston BOC Score 84.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,121
Avg net price $19,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Saint Edward's University

Austin, TX 144.5 miles from Houston BOC Score 58.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 81%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,826
Avg net price $25,578/yr
Tuition
In‑state$51,384
Out‑of‑state$51,384
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

St. Mary's University

San Antonio, TX 191.6 miles from Houston BOC Score 53.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 98%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,955
Avg net price $21,145/yr
Tuition
In‑state$37,434
Out‑of‑state$37,434
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX 464.0 miles from Houston BOC Score 71.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,454
Avg net price $19,070/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Sul Ross State University

Alpine, TX 494.3 miles from Houston BOC Score 36.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,871
Avg net price $13,286/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 52%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX 673.2 miles from Houston BOC Score 57.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,923
Avg net price $9,403/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Science Wages Near Houston

Houston is part of the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area (BLS area code 26420). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$66,440Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$67,383
Detective and Criminal Investigator$86,390Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$87,617
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$74,570Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$75,629

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.

Houston at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population2,300,419Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,894Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+36.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)98.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Houston-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Houston, TX?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Houston. The closest is Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX (64.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Lamar University (81.1 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Houston are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($86,390), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($74,570), Forensic Science Technician ($66,440). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Pearland instead of Houston?

Pearland, TX is 16.4 miles from Houston 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 Houston an affordable place to study forensic science?

Houston’s median household income of $62,894 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Houston while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Houston

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

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.

Back to Best Forensic Science Schools in Texas: Online Programs (2026)