Forensic Science Programs in Washington DC

Updated October 2, 2026

Washington DC has one local institution reporting credentials in the CIP family that includes forensic science: George Washington University offers a graduate certificate and a master’s in Security Science and Technology, per U.S. Department of Education data. Beyond that single option, forensic science technicians and criminal investigators here work alongside both DC’s own police department and the federal agencies headquartered in the city.

Washington DC’s criminal justice system includes the Metropolitan Police Department as well as the federal law enforcement agencies headquartered in the city. The local forensic science degree options are limited to a single institution, which is worth knowing before you start comparing programs elsewhere.

Featured Programs:

Forensic Science Degrees: A General Overview

These are general benchmarks for forensic science programs nationally, not a description of what’s available in DC specifically. See the Where to Study section below for what the District actually offers. Credit counts, lab requirements, and coursework vary by school, so confirm specifics with any program you’re considering.

Associate’s programs typically run in the 60-to-70-credit range, split between general education and forensic science coursework.

Common Associate-Level Forensic Science Courses

Forensic Instrumental Analysis
Introduction to Forensic Science
Cell and Molecular Biology
Crime Scene Photography

Bachelor’s degree programs typically require around 120 credits. Specific prerequisites and lab requirements vary by school and program.

Common Bachelor’s-Level Coursework

Modern Practices in Forensic Science
Comparative Forensics
Forensic Toxicology
Forensic Biology

Master’s programs vary in length and credit requirements by school. Check a specific program’s current catalog for its requirements and timeline.

Common Graduate-Level Coursework

Photography in the Forensic Sciences
Science of Fingerprints
Digital Image Processing
Criminal Law for Forensic Scientists

What Forensic Science and Investigator Pay Looks Like in DC

No DC-specific wage or job-growth estimate is published for forensic science technicians. Nationally, forensic science technicians earned a median $72,060 in May 2025, and the BLS projects 13% growth nationally from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average occupation (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025).

Detectives and criminal investigators are a separate law enforcement occupation, with their own agency-specific hiring, training, and experience requirements. Detectives and criminal investigators in DC earned a median $160,760 in May 2025, well above the $93,790 national median (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025). Nationally, ProjectionsCentral’s 2024-34 long-term projection shows a 0.7% decline in detective and investigator employment — a different period than the forensic-science-technician figures above (2025-35), so the two growth rates aren’t directly comparable.

Wage figures are May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data for forensic science technicians and detectives and criminal investigators. The forensic science technician growth figure is the BLS’s 2025-35 national projection. The detective and investigator growth figure is ProjectionsCentral’s 2024-34 national long-term projection, the only cycle published for that occupation. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your market may vary. Data accessed October 2026.

Where to Study: The Security Science and Technology CIP Family in DC

One DC institution reports credentials in the Security Science and Technology CIP family, the federal category that includes forensic science alongside security science and computer/cyber forensics, per U.S. Department of Education data. The data confirms George Washington University reports a graduate certificate and a master’s in this family. It does not by itself confirm these are forensic-science-specific programs, so verify the actual curriculum with the school. The dataset also only shows that no DC institution reported an associate’s or bachelor’s credential in this CIP family. It doesn’t rule out every possible related undergraduate option in the city.

Institution	City	Control	Credential Levels Reported in CIP Family
George Washington University	Washington, DC	Private nonprofit	Graduate Certificate, Master’s

School and program data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, institution file May 2025 and field-of-study file April 2025. Data accessed October 2026. Confirm current enrollment, course format, admission requirements, and whether a program is specifically forensic science (versus a related security-science track) directly with the school before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a forensic science degree without leaving Washington, DC?

George Washington University is the only DC institution reporting credentials in the CIP family that includes forensic science, per federal education data, at the graduate certificate and master’s levels. That data doesn’t confirm the program is forensic-science-specific rather than a related security-science track, so confirm the curriculum with the school directly. No DC institution reports an associate’s or bachelor’s credential in this family.

Do forensic science technicians need a college degree to work in DC?

The BLS lists a bachelor’s degree, often in a natural science or forensic science, as the typical entry-level education for forensic science technicians nationally. Specific requirements, including any background investigation, are set at the agency or employer level and vary by position.

How much do forensic science jobs in DC pay?

No DC-specific wage figure is published for forensic science technicians. Nationally, they earned a median $72,060 in May 2025. Detectives and criminal investigators in DC, a separate occupation with its own hiring requirements, earned a median $160,760 in May 2025, well above the national figure.

Is forensic science job growth strong in DC?

No DC-specific growth figure is published for forensic science technicians. Nationally, the BLS projects 13% growth from 2025 to 2035. Detectives and criminal investigators are a different occupation: ProjectionsCentral’s national long-term projection shows a 0.7% decline through 2034. The two figures cover different periods (2025-35 vs. 2024-34) and shouldn’t be compared directly.

What does it take to get into forensic science work?

Entry requirements depend on the specific forensic discipline and employer. The BLS identifies a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education for forensic science technicians nationally. Beyond that baseline, requirements, preferred majors, and any additional certification vary by lab and position, so check the specific employer’s posting rather than assuming one standard path.

Key Takeaways

One local CIP-family option – George Washington University is the only DC institution reporting credentials in the Security Science and Technology CIP family, which includes forensic science, at the graduate certificate and master’s levels, per federal education data.
No local wage data for lab techs – Forensic science technicians don’t have a published DC wage or growth figure. The national median is $72,060 with 13% projected growth (2025-35).
Investigators are a separate occupation – Detectives and criminal investigators in DC earned a median $160,760 in May 2025, well above the $93,790 national median, with their own distinct hiring and training requirements.
Investigator employment isn’t growing nationally – ProjectionsCentral’s national projection shows a 0.7% decline through 2034. That’s a national figure on a different period (2024-34) than the forensic-tech growth projection above, not a DC-specific outlook.

If GWU’s program doesn’t fit what you’re looking for, start by confirming directly with the school whether its Security Science and Technology credential is forensic-science-focused or a related track, and what the current admission requirements and format look like. Scorecard data moves slower than a school’s own catalog.

Looking for Forensic Science Programs in Another State?

Want the bigger picture? Read the full guide to Compare Forensic Scientist Schools & Training Programs.