Forensic Science Degree Programs in North Carolina

Updated September 22, 2026

North Carolina’s forensic science jobs split by role: lab scientist positions typically require a bachelor’s or advanced degree in a science field, while evidence-technician roles often accept a high school diploma plus relevant experience. Forensic Science Technicians earn a median $59,240 a year in the state, per May 2025 BLS wage data, across both tracks.

Forensic science work in North Carolina isn’t one job; it’s several — and they don’t all require the same training. A crime lab scientist analyzing DNA needs a science degree. An evidence technician logging items at a scene might only need a high school diploma and the right on-the-job training. Here’s how the requirements, the pay, and the schools actually break down by role.

Find out more about careers in forensic science and what it takes to get started.

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What Forensic Science Roles Actually Require in North Carolina

North Carolina’s State Crime Laboratory splits its openings the same way most labs do. Scientist positions generally require a bachelor’s or advanced degree in a specific science field, such as biology, chemistry, forensic science, biochemistry, genetics, or physics, depending on which discipline you’re testing evidence for. Evidence Technician positions run differently: the lab typically accepts a high school diploma or GED paired with relevant experience or equivalent training, no science degree required. Which door you walk through determines the whole rest of your path.

Forensic Science Degree Programs in North Carolina

Two North Carolina schools run programs built specifically around laboratory forensic science, not just the broader security-science category most schools fall under.

Fayetteville State University – FEPAC-Accredited B.S. in Forensic Science

Fayetteville State runs the only FEPAC-accredited forensic science bachelor’s program in North Carolina, accredited through 2029 according to the university. The degree builds on a foundation of biology and chemistry, then moves into DNA analysis, forensic chemistry, crime-scene investigation, and trace evidence work. That’s the exact coursework a state crime lab scientist position expects to see on a transcript.

Methodist University – B.S. in Forensic Science (CSI Track)

Methodist offers an on-campus B.S. in Forensic Science built around a crime-scene-investigation track, with 54 credits of major coursework and an internship option that can substitute for part of the major requirement. It’s a chemistry-based path into the same kind of lab and field evidence work.

Where to Study Forensic Science in North Carolina

Seventeen North Carolina institutions offer a program in the federal Security Science and Technology CIP family, the category that includes forensic science, per U.S. Department of Education data. That family also covers general security science and cyber/computer forensics, so not every school on this list runs a laboratory-focused forensic science program the way Fayetteville State and Methodist do. Confirm each school’s actual current curriculum, accreditation, and admission requirements directly with the program before applying, since federal data lags what a school markets today.

Institution	City	Credential(s) Offered
Appalachian State University	Boone	Undergraduate certificate
Blue Ridge Community College	Flat Rock	Associate, undergraduate certificate
Catawba Valley Community College	Hickory	Associate, undergraduate certificate
Central Carolina Community College	Sanford	Associate
Coastal Carolina Community College	Jacksonville	Associate
Fayetteville State University*	Fayetteville	Bachelor’s
Fayetteville Technical Community College	Fayetteville	Associate, undergraduate certificate
Forsyth Technical Community College	Winston-Salem	Associate
Gaston College	Dallas	Associate
Guilford Technical Community College	Jamestown	Associate, undergraduate certificate
Methodist University*	Fayetteville	Bachelor’s
Nash Community College	Rocky Mount	Associate
Pfeiffer University	Misenheimer	Bachelor’s, Master’s
Southwestern Community College	Sylva	Associate
Surry Community College	Dobson	Associate
Wake Technical Community College	Raleigh	Associate, undergraduate certificate
Western Carolina University	Cullowhee	Bachelor’s

*Confirmed laboratory-focused forensic science programs, detailed above.

What These Careers Pay in North Carolina

Forensic Science Technicians earn a median of $59,240 a year in North Carolina, according to May 2025 BLS wage data, with the middle half of the field earning between $49,690 and $66,110. This is an occupation-wide figure, not a starting salary for new graduates, and it covers both the lab-scientist and evidence-technician roles that fall under this BLS category. ProjectionsCentral’s 2024-34 state projections show this occupation growing 17.2%, with about 80 average annual openings in North Carolina.

Detective and Criminal Investigator Work: A Separate Path

Some people confuse forensic science with detective work because both show up at a crime scene. They’re different careers with different training requirements. Detectives and Criminal Investigators in North Carolina come up through law enforcement, not through a forensic science degree, and getting there means separate state-specific training and certification tied to your employing agency and officer classification. A forensic science degree doesn’t substitute for that pathway.

The occupation has a higher median wage than Forensic Science Technicians: $63,280 a year in North Carolina as of May 2025 BLS data, with the top quarter of earners clearing $80,330. ProjectionsCentral projects 2.8% growth through 2034, with about 240 average annual openings in the state.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a bachelor’s degree to work in forensic science in North Carolina?

It depends on the role. Lab scientist positions at facilities like the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory generally require a bachelor’s or advanced degree in a specific science field. Evidence technician roles often accept a high school diploma or GED with relevant experience instead.

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

A forensic science technician analyzes evidence, such as DNA, trace materials, or chemical residue, in a lab or at a scene. A detective investigates the case itself: interviews, leads, and building the file for a prosecutor. Detective work runs through a separate law-enforcement hiring and training pathway, not a forensic science degree.

Which North Carolina schools offer forensic science degrees?

Fayetteville State University runs the state’s only FEPAC-accredited B.S. in Forensic Science. Methodist University offers a B.S. in Forensic Science with a crime-scene-investigation track. Several other North Carolina schools offer programs in the broader security-science-and-technology field, which can include forensic science content, so confirm the specific curriculum with each school.

How much do forensic science jobs pay in North Carolina?

Forensic Science Technicians earn a median $59,240 a year in North Carolina, per May 2025 BLS wage data. That’s an occupation-wide figure, not a starting salary for new graduates.

Is the forensic science job market growing in North Carolina?

ProjectionsCentral’s 2024-34 state projections show Forensic Science Technician jobs growing 17.2% in North Carolina, with about 80 average annual openings.

Key Takeaways

Credential requirements split by role: lab scientist positions typically need a bachelor’s or advanced science degree, while evidence technician roles often accept a high school diploma plus experience.
Two schools run confirmed forensic science programs: Fayetteville State University holds North Carolina’s only FEPAC-accredited B.S. in Forensic Science, and Methodist University offers a CSI-track B.S. in Forensic Science.
Forensic Science Technicians earn a median of $59,240 a year in North Carolina (BLS, May 2025), with 17.2% projected growth through 2034 (ProjectionsCentral).
Detective and criminal investigator work is a separate career path through law enforcement, not an outcome of a forensic science degree.

Before you apply anywhere on the list below, call the admissions office and ask directly whether their program covers laboratory forensic science or the broader security-science curriculum. The difference matters for the job you actually want.

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 September 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 September 2026.

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