Best Forensic Science Schools Near Sun Prairie, WI (2026)

Sun Prairie, Wisconsin has 7 accredited schools offering forensic science programs, with tuition ranging from $3,894 to $42,095 per year for indexed programs. Sun Prairie has a population of about 36,455. Median household income is $90,521 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 50.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Madison, WI metro area, the top-earning forensic science-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $102,780 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Forensic Science Schools to Sun Prairie

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

#1

Marian University

Fond Du Lac, WI 58.2 miles from Sun Prairie BOC Score 47.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 75%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,501
Avg net price $21,937/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,178
Out‑of‑state$35,178
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Milwaukee, WI 68.6 miles from Sun Prairie BOC Score 55.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,990
Avg net price $15,014/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Platteville, WI 70.8 miles from Sun Prairie BOC Score 68.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,760
Avg net price $16,032/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Fox Valley Technical College

Appleton, WI 85.2 miles from Sun Prairie BOC Score 67.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,684
Avg net price $11,407/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,040
Out‑of‑state$7,283
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Forensic Science Wages Near Sun Prairie

Sun Prairie is part of the Madison, WI metro area (BLS area code 31540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Wisconsin statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Forensic Science Technician$71,470Madison, WI$73,453
Detective and Criminal Investigator$102,780Madison, WI$105,632
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer$80,580Madison, WI$82,816

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.


Sun Prairie at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population36,455Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$90,521Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+50.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)97.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Sun Prairie-Area Cities With Forensic Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic science schools are near Sun Prairie, WI?

Our directory has 7 accredited schools offering forensic science programs near Sun Prairie. The closest is Marian University in Fond Du Lac, WI (57.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is William Rainey Harper College (96.3 miles). 7 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying forensic science roles near Sun Prairie?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic science-related roles near Sun Prairie are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($102,780), Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officer ($80,580), Forensic Science Technician ($71,470). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Wisconsin statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Madison instead of Sun Prairie?

Madison, WI is 10.6 miles from Sun Prairie 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 Sun Prairie an affordable place to study forensic science?

Sun Prairie’s median household income of $90,521 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sun Prairie while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 Sun Prairie

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

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.