Best Forensic Science Schools Near Lubbock, TX (2026)

Lubbock, Texas has 2 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $7,194 to $24,451 per year for indexed programs. Lubbock has a population of about 261,078. Median household income is $60,487 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lubbock, TX metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer at a median $77,110 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to Lubbock

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

#1

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX 2.0 miles from Lubbock 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

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


Forensic Science Wages Near Lubbock

Lubbock is part of the Lubbock, TX metro area (BLS area code 31180). 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$54,970Lubbock, TX$60,208
Detective and Criminal Investigator$72,820Lubbock, TX$79,759
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$77,110Lubbock, TX$84,458

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.


Lubbock at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population261,078Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$60,487Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+34.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Lubbock-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Lubbock. The closest is Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX (1.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus (93.8 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Lubbock are: Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($77,110), Detective and Criminal Investigator ($72,820), Forensic Science Technician ($54,970). 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 Plainview instead of Lubbock?

Plainview, TX is 44.1 miles from Lubbock 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 Lubbock an affordable place to study forensic science?

Lubbock’s median household income of $60,487 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lubbock 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 Lubbock

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

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.