Forensic Science Programs in New Jersey

Updated October 1, 2026

New Jersey’s federal education data confirms only one in-state forensic science program: a bachelor’s at Rowan University, within the broader security-science-and-technology CIP family. For other credential levels, look at online or regional schools instead. Forensic science technicians here earned a median $63,220 a year as of May 2025 BLS data. Detectives and investigators, a different track, earned $116,300.

Crime labs, courtrooms, and investigation units in New Jersey all depend on people who can process a scene without destroying the evidence in it. If you’re weighing a forensic science path here, the state’s confirmed in-state options are narrower than you might expect, and pay looks very different depending on whether you stay in the lab or move into investigation.

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What Forensic Science Work Looks Like in New Jersey

Forensic science professionals do work that protects investigators, victims, and suspects alike. New Jersey lawmakers have pushed to address wrongful convictions statewide (Courier Post Online, 2017), and forensic evidence is exactly what clears an innocent suspect as often as it convicts a guilty one.

In a forensic science program, you’ll learn to collect evidence at a scene, process it without contaminating it, analyze it in a lab, and document the chain of custody so it holds up in court.

Forensic Science Degree Options, in General

Forensic science programs nationally run from short certificates through graduate coursework. New Jersey’s own confirmed, federally reported option sits at the bachelor’s level (covered in the next section). What follows is the credential ladder these programs commonly use elsewhere, not a list of verified New Jersey offerings.

Certificate Programs

A certificate is typically the fastest, lowest-cost way to test the field before committing to a longer program. Length and credit requirements vary by school. Coursework at this level commonly includes subjects like:

Introduction to Criminal Justice
Introduction to Criminal Law
Correctional Procedures
Crime Scene Investigation Procedures

Associate Degree Programs

An associate degree sits between a certificate and a bachelor’s. Exact credit requirements and how well those credits transfer into a bachelor’s program depend on the specific schools involved. Coursework at this level commonly includes subjects like:

Criminology
Criminal Law
Issues in Policing
Crime Scene Procedures

Bachelor’s Degree Programs

A bachelor’s is the credential most forensic science employers expect. Specific credit totals, lab requirements, and internship policies vary by program, so confirm them directly with any school you’re considering, Rowan included. Coursework at this level commonly includes subjects like:

Introduction to Forensic Science
Advanced Forensic Science
Functional Human Anatomy
Forensic Anthropology

Graduate Coursework in Forensic Psychology

Graduate forensic psychology programs require a bachelor’s degree first. Which undergraduate majors a program accepts, and what else it asks for, such as an essay or relevant work or volunteer experience, varies school by school. Coursework at this level commonly includes subjects like:

Psychopathology
Psychological Basis of Criminal Behavior
Forensic Evaluation and Assessment
Forensic Interviewing Techniques

Where to Study Forensic Science in New Jersey

Federal education data lists one New Jersey institution reporting a bachelor’s program within the broader security-science-and-technology CIP family that includes forensic science. Confirm current enrollment, format, and admission requirements directly with the school before applying.

Institution	City	Control / Level	Credential Offered
Rowan University	Glassboro	Public, 4-year	Bachelor’s

If you want more in-state options, broaden your search to the general criminal justice CIP family, or look at online and regional programs outside New Jersey.

What Forensic Science Careers Pay in New Jersey

As of May 2025 BLS wage data, forensic science technicians in New Jersey earned a median of $63,220 a year (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Projections Central puts the field’s 2024–34 growth at 14.5%, with about 10 openings a year statewide (ProjectionsCentral), a small occupation in absolute terms.

Detective and criminal investigator work is a separate occupational track with its own hiring path, not a standard promotion from forensic science technician, and it pays considerably more: a median $116,300 a year in New Jersey as of May 2025 data (BLS). Hiring requirements for detectives vary by New Jersey agency. The role also shows more projected hiring activity, with roughly 220 average annual openings statewide for 2024–34 (ProjectionsCentral), against about 10 a year for forensic science technicians.

Coroners and medical examiners handle a related function, identifying unnatural deaths and supplying preliminary evidence to investigators, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a dedicated wage or growth figure for this occupation, so no salary number for it appears here.

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 state-level data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed October 2026.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a forensic science degree to work in a New Jersey crime lab?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, forensic science technicians typically need a bachelor’s degree in a natural science, forensic science, or a related field. Specific entry-level and support positions can vary by employer, so confirm requirements directly with the lab or department you’re applying to.

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

A forensic science technician processes evidence in a lab or at a scene. A detective or criminal investigator builds a case using that evidence along with broader investigative work. The two are separate occupational tracks with their own hiring paths, not one feeding into the other, and New Jersey’s different median pay for each reflects two different jobs rather than a promotion ladder.

How much do forensic science technicians earn in New Jersey?

The median is $63,220 a year, as of May 2025 BLS wage data. That figure covers the role broadly. Actual pay depends on the employer, whether that’s a state crime lab, a local department, or a federal agency.

Can I start a forensic science career with just a certificate?

A certificate alone is unlikely to qualify you for analyst-level work, since BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry point for forensic science technicians. It can still be a lower-cost way to test the field, though whether the credits transfer into an associate or bachelor’s program depends on the specific schools involved.

Which pays more and has more openings, forensic science technician or detective work, in New Jersey?

Detective and criminal investigator work pays more, a median $116,300 against $63,220 for forensic science technicians, and shows far more projected annual openings statewide, about 220 a year versus about 10, under 2024–34 ProjectionsCentral projections. The two require different entry paths, so the larger number shouldn’t be the only factor in your decision.

Key Takeaways

Credential ladder: Certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and graduate options exist for forensic science nationally, but specific requirements, credit transfer, and job eligibility depend on the program and employer.
In-state options are thin: Only one New Jersey school, Rowan University, appears in federal data for a bachelor’s program in the CIP family that includes forensic science, so look beyond the state for other credential levels.
Pay differs by track: Forensic science technicians median $63,220. Detectives and investigators, a separate track, median $116,300.
More projected annual openings in investigation: About 220 average annual openings for detectives and investigators through 2034, versus about 10 for forensic science technicians.

Weigh the cost of a bachelor’s against what a shorter credential can realistically qualify you for in this field, since most forensic science technician roles expect a bachelor’s degree at minimum, per BLS.

Looking for a Forensic Science Program in Another State?

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