Forensic Science Degrees in Kansas

Updated September 30, 2026

Kansas offers forensic-science-related training from the associate through master’s level, with five in-state schools reporting a Security Science and Technology program, the category that includes forensic science, per federal education data. Forensic science technician openings in Kansas are projected to grow 11.7% by 2034, while detectives and criminal investigators earn a $75,740 median (BLS, May 2025).

Forensic science has changed faster than almost any other corner of criminal justice work. You still need to understand human behavior and how a crime scene tells its story, but the tools now available, like 3D scanning, DNA sequencing, and shared evidence databases, are different from twenty years ago.

Considering a career in forensics? Here’s where Kansas programs and Kansas jobs actually line up.

Contact Kansas schools that offer forensic science degrees today.

Featured Programs:

What Can I Do with a Forensic Science Degree in Kansas?

Back in 2017, engineers in Wichita built a virtual reality tool that let investigators recreate a crime scene as it looked when officers arrived, stitching together photos and scans into a walkable 3D space (Kansas.com, 2017). That’s one example of digital reconstruction entering forensic work in Kansas. It isn’t necessarily standard equipment at every department today, but it shows a direction the field has moved in.

Tools like that extend an investigator’s judgment rather than replace it, letting someone revisit a scene later without disturbing the physical evidence. Whether you land on the lab side or the investigative side of that work depends on the path and credential you pursue.

Forensic Science Degrees in Kansas

Here’s where to start

BLS identifies a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education for forensic science technicians, so most lab-track and four-year positions expect one. That said, some programs offer an associate degree as a shorter, lower-cost way to test your interest in the field or build transfer credit toward a bachelor’s, and a small number of entry-level lab-support or evidence-technician roles may accept one on its own. Program length and credit requirements vary by school, but an associate track commonly runs around two years and 60 credits.

A Typical Associate-Level Course Lineup (Example)

Course names and credit values vary by school and are not a fixed Kansas requirement. A lineup like this one is representative of what many associate-level criminal justice and forensic programs include:

Criminology (3 credits): Find out why people turn to a life of crime, what factors make crime more likely, and how investigators can use this information to prevent crime.
Forensic Science Analytical Techniques (3 credits): Explore basic investigative techniques used to assess evidence in the lab.
Criminal Investigation (3 credits): This course covers the basic process of criminal investigation and shows how evidence is collected, analyzed, and used.
Criminal Law (4 credits): Students in this class learn the fundamentals of criminal law to understand how crimes are tried and what rights suspects have.
Crime Scene Investigation (4 credits): Learn more about the initial steps taken when a crime scene is discovered and how professionals carefully process evidence.

A bachelor’s degree with a forensic science major typically runs four years and around 120 credits, though this varies by school and program. It generally provides more hands-on lab and technology time than an associate track, though how much varies from program to program. Many bachelor’s programs include a lab component or an internship, but not every one does, so confirm that directly with any school you’re considering.

A Typical Bachelor’s-Level Course Lineup (Example)

As with the associate list above, these are illustrative course examples, not a standardized Kansas curriculum:

Criminal Evidence (3 credits): Instructors introduce students to different categories of criminal evidence and show students how to properly process common types of evidence.
Forensic Identification of Narcotics and Other Illicit Substances (1 credit): This short class introduces students to methods of testing samples for the presence of illegal drugs.
Forensic Serology (1 credit): This laboratory-based course gives students experience in processing and testing bodily fluid samples.
Forensic Toxicology of Alcohol (1 credit): Learn how to test for alcohol in the body and how to determine when a person was drinking based on their blood-alcohol level.
Forensic Arson Analysis (1 credit): Students discover how to investigate arson and find out whether a fire was accidental or intentional.
Fingerprint Development and Analysis (1 credit): Fingerprints are still one of the most useful tools in the field of forensic science. This course shows you how to collect and analyze them.
Forensic Anthropology (3 credits): Forensic anthropologists analyze skeletal remains and other human remains to get information on crimes, cause of death, and victim identification.

Ready to compare programs? Reach out to the schools below to confirm which ones currently run a forensic-science-specific track, what lab or fieldwork the program includes, and what it takes to get in.

Where to Study Forensic Science in Kansas

Institution	City	Control	Credential Level(s)
Emporia State University	Emporia	Public	Master’s
Newman University	Wichita	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
Northwest Kansas Technical College	Goodland	Public	Associate, Undergraduate certificate
Washburn University	Topeka	Public	Bachelor’s
Wichita State University	Wichita	Public	Bachelor’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 September 2026. This CIP family is broader than forensic science alone, and program offerings change, so confirm current program names, enrollment, format, and admission requirements directly with each school before applying.

Working as a Forensic Scientist in Kansas

Two career paths often connect back to forensic science training in Kansas: working with evidence directly as a forensic science technician, and investigating cases as a detective or criminal investigator. They call for different degrees and run through different hiring processes.

Forensic science technicians work with evidence, lab instruments, and analysis software, and how much of that happens in a lab versus at a crime scene depends on the specific position. Some technicians work mostly in a laboratory, others spend significant time in the field, and many do both. Kansas doesn’t have a published state-level median for this occupation, but the national median is $72,060 a year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). The two Kansas metro areas with published wage data are Topeka at $86,670 and Wichita at $63,420, two separate metro-area figures, not a low-to-high salary range for the occupation. The job outlook is strong in-state: Kansas forensic science technician openings are projected to grow 11.7% from 2024 to 2034 (ProjectionsCentral).

Becoming a detective or criminal investigator is a separate law enforcement career path with its own Kansas certification and hiring requirements, not simply an extension of forensic-science training. Kansas peace officers are certified through the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training (Kansas CPOST), with academy training delivered through the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC). Whether a department requires patrol experience before assigning someone to investigations, and for how long, is set by that agency, not by one statewide rule. Kansas detectives and criminal investigators earn a median of $75,740 a year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). The state’s 2024-34 projection shows a 0.8% decline in these positions, though roughly 70 openings a year are still expected from retirements and turnover (ProjectionsCentral).

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Forensic Science Technicians and Detectives and Criminal Investigators. Long-term (2024-34) job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, ProjectionsCentral. Figures reflect city, state, and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a criminal justice degree to work in forensic science in Kansas?

Not necessarily, but it depends on the specific position. Forensic science technician jobs typically call for a bachelor’s degree in forensic science, chemistry, biology, or a related natural science, per BLS. A criminal justice degree may satisfy some laboratory positions if it includes enough chemistry, biology, or related science coursework, but whether it qualifies depends on the employer’s specific requirements, not a general rule. Criminal investigator and detective roles run through a different hiring path entirely: sworn law-enforcement certification through the state, not a lab-science degree.

What’s the difference between a forensic science technician and a detective?

A forensic science technician analyzes physical evidence, whether that’s DNA, fingerprints, toxicology, or digital reconstruction, and depending on the position, that work happens in a lab, at crime scenes, or both. A detective or criminal investigator builds the case around that evidence: interviewing witnesses and suspects and working with prosecutors. Some cases involve both roles working in parallel.

How long does a forensic science degree take in Kansas?

It depends on the program and credential level. An associate degree commonly runs around two years, and a bachelor’s around four years, but exact timelines and credit requirements vary by school. Check the current requirements with the specific program you’re considering.

Can I get a forensic science job with only an associate degree?

It’s possible for some entry-level lab-support or evidence-technician roles, but BLS identifies a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education for forensic science technicians, and most postings reflect that. An associate degree can still be a reasonable way to test your interest and build transfer credit toward a four-year program, but confirm specific hiring requirements with employers in the area where you want to work.

Where can I study forensic science in Kansas?

Federal data identify five Kansas institutions reporting programs in Security Science and Technology (CIP 43.04), a broader program family that includes forensic science: Emporia State University, Newman University, Northwest Kansas Technical College, Washburn University, and Wichita State University. Several of these run explicitly named forensic science programs on their own websites, including Wichita State’s Forensic Sciences bachelor’s degree, Washburn’s Forensic Investigative Sciences program, Emporia State’s Forensic Science master’s degree, and Northwest Kansas Technical College’s Forensic Science and Technology associate degree. Confirm current program names, credential levels, and admission requirements directly with each school before applying.

Key Takeaways

Two related career paths – forensic science technician (lab- and scene-based evidence work) and detective or criminal investigator (case-based investigation) – draw on forensic science training in different ways, each with its own degree and hiring path.
Pay varies by role and metro area – Kansas detectives and criminal investigators earn a $75,740 median (BLS, May 2025), and forensic science technician wages range from $63,420 in Wichita to $86,670 in Topeka, two separate metro figures, not a single salary range for the occupation.
Job growth projections differ by role – ProjectionsCentral’s 2024-34 Kansas figures show forensic science technician openings growing 11.7%, while detective and criminal investigator openings are projected to decline 0.8%, with about 70 investigator openings a year still expected from turnover.
Five in-state institutions report a Security Science and Technology program (CIP 43.04) per federal education data, the family that includes forensic science, from associate through master’s level.

Looking for Forensic Science Programs in Another State?

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