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Major · Homeland Security & Protective Services

A bachelor’s pipeline into crime-lab and CSI work

Forensic Science and Technology (CIP 43.0406) is a bachelor’s-leaning major that applies the physical, biomedical, and social sciences to crime scene analysis, evidence evaluation, and forensic testimony. Roughly 2,398 students complete it across 197 institutions, with bachelor’s grads earning around $60,044 five years out and the named target occupation projected to grow 12.8%.

Schools offering
197
Annual completions
2,398
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$58k

About this major

Forensic Science and Technology (CIP 43.0406) is a bachelor’s-leaning major that applies the physical, biomedical, and social sciences to evidence analysis, crime-scene investigation, and forensic testimony. The CIP definition runs long because the field is wide: forensic medicine, dentistry, anthropology, psychology, entomology, pathology, lab technology, autopsy procedures, DNA and blood-pattern analysis, fingerprint and document examination, witness procedures, applicable law, and professional ethics. Coursework typically blends a strong chemistry and biology core with criminalistics labs and a capstone forensic project, and accredited programs (often FEPAC-aligned) require an internship at a crime lab or law-enforcement agency.

The major fits students who want lab science with a clear public-service application. It rewards meticulous documentation, strong organic chemistry and biology fundamentals, and emotional steadiness — crime-scene work is uncomfortable. Programs cluster at mid-sized public universities with established forensic science departments, including University of Central Oklahoma (124 completions, the top producer), University of New Haven (109), West Virginia University (102), and Farmingdale State (96).

One grounded observation about scale and earnings: 2,398 students complete this CIP across 197 institutions, with associate’s grads at $43,558 and bachelor’s grads at $60,044 — a meaningful $16,500 gap that argues clearly for the four-year path. The named target, Forensic science technician, pays $67,440 with 12.8% projected growth. The optimism deserves a counterweight: the occupation is small, hiring is selective, and crime labs often prefer applicants with a hard-science degree (chemistry, biology) and prior internships. The CSI brand draws applicants but the labor-market reality is closer to a competitive specialty than a high-volume career.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other $60k +3.5% Associate's degree
Forensic science technicians $67k +12.8% Bachelor's degree
Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary $71k +2.0% Doctoral or professional degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$58k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$44k

Bachelor's

$60k

Who this major is for

Good signs this major fits: you’re drawn to lab science with a public-service application, you’re willing to stack chemistry, biology, and criminalistics in roughly equal measure, and you’re committed to internships and lab GPA from the first year — both matter more than the school name in this field. The bachelor’s pays a $16,500 premium over the associate’s and the named target occupation grows 12.8%. The data shows a clean bachelor’s-to-crime-lab pipeline at FEPAC-accredited programs like University of New Haven and University of Central Oklahoma.

Reasons to pause: the popular crime-lab image runs ahead of hiring volume — Forensic science technician is a small occupation with selective hiring at state and local labs. If you’re aiming at DNA bench work, employers often prefer a chemistry or biology bachelor’s with forensic coursework added. Be ready to relocate; openings cluster around state crime-lab capacities, not student-preferred cities. And if your interest is in the investigation side rather than the analytical side, Criminal Justice/Safety Studies (CIP 43.0104) or Criminology (45.0401) may map better to police-detective or investigator paths.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Forensic Science and Technology

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK 0 124 124
University of New Haven West Haven, CT 0 109 109
West Virginia University Morgantown, WV 0 102 102
Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY 0 96 96
Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, FL 32 37 69
Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA 0 69 69
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY 0 66 66
Utah Valley University Orem, UT 19 34 53
University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS 0 51 51
American Public University System Charles Town, WV 0 49 49
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Criminal Justice/Safety Studies

33,388 completions/yr

Criminology

8,556 completions/yr

Criminal Justice and Corrections, General

1,490 completions/yr

Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism

1,074 completions/yr

Science, Technology and Society

565 completions/yr

Criminalistics and Criminal Science

406 completions/yr

Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy

333 completions/yr

Science/Technology Management

175 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What does a forensic science major actually study?
Coursework blends chemistry and biology lab work with crime-scene investigation methods, evidence handling, fingerprint and DNA analysis, criminalistics, blood-pattern analysis, document examination, courtroom testimony preparation, and applicable law and ethics. The CIP definition lists forensic medicine, dentistry, anthropology, psychology, entomology, and pathology as cross-disciplinary topics. Most accredited programs include hands-on lab components and a capstone forensic project.
What jobs do graduates actually land?
The named target is Forensic science technicians ($67,440 median, 12.8% growth, bachelor’s required) — strong growth among science-technician occupations. Other tracked occupations include Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other ($60,130, 3.5%), and Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary ($71,470, doctoral required). Realistic destinations also include crime laboratory analyst, latent print examiner, evidence technician, and law-enforcement-adjacent civilian roles.
Is the job market really as competitive as it looks?
Yes — the popular CSI image far outruns hiring volume. Forensic science technician is a small occupation, and crime labs hire selectively, often requiring strong lab skills, an internship, and sometimes a master’s for specific bench work. The 12.8% growth rate applies to a small base. Plan on multiple internships, a strong chemistry and biology GPA, and a willingness to relocate for openings at state and local crime labs.
Do I need a bachelor’s, or is an associate’s enough?
The lead occupation, Forensic science technician, lists Bachelor’s degree as the typical entry credential. The packet shows associate’s grads at $43,558 versus $60,044 for bachelor’s — a roughly $16,500 gap. Almost all top programs in the data are bachelor’s-only (the exception is Keiser, which awards both). The bachelor’s is the credential the field expects.
How does this compare to a chemistry or biology major for crime-lab work?
Some crime labs prefer a hard-science bachelor’s (chemistry, biology, biochemistry) over a forensic science bachelor’s, especially for DNA bench work. The named-CIP forensic science programs deliver the criminalistics and crime-scene methods components, but a chemistry or biology degree paired with internships can be equally competitive — sometimes more so for specialty bench roles. Check target lab job postings before locking in a CIP.
Where are the strongest programs concentrated?
University of Central Oklahoma (124 completions) leads, followed by University of New Haven (109), West Virginia University (102), Farmingdale State (96), Keiser-Ft Lauderdale (69, mixed associate’s/bachelor’s), Virginia Commonwealth (69), CUNY John Jay (66), and Utah Valley (53). The mix is dominated by mid-sized public universities with established forensic science programs, often FEPAC-accredited.