Find Forensic Science Degree Programs in Ohio

Updated October 1, 2026

Ohio has 14 colleges reporting security-science-and-technology programs, the federal CIP family that includes forensic science, per Education Department data. Forensic science technician employment in Ohio was 470 in May 2025, projected to grow 9% by 2034 (ProjectionsCentral). Detectives and criminal investigators, a separate law enforcement role, earned a median $79,300 in May 2025 (BLS).

Forensic science looks like a television job until you remember the lab sits downstream of a body, a fire scene, or a rape kit that waited months in evidence storage — the work is less about catching the killer in the final act and more about getting the paperwork right so a conviction survives appeal. Before you pick a program, know the baseline: BLS says forensic science technicians typically need at least a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation, not an associate’s. Here’s where to study in Ohio, what that coursework can look like, and what the job actually pays once you’re through the door.

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What Forensic Science Work in Ohio Actually Looks Like

Forensic science doesn’t close a case by itself. It hands investigators physical evidence to back up a theory, and in Ohio that evidence has settled cases that sat cold for years.

One case shows how closely examiners look at what’s put in front of them. An Ohio couple staged a fake murder as a prank on their families and sent faked crime scene photos to relatives. Investigators pulled the photos apart and identified them as staged before anyone was charged with an actual crime, and the couple ended up facing charges for wasting law enforcement time and misusing police resources (NY Daily News, 2017).

Forensic Science Degrees in Ohio, By Level

Ohio runs the gamut from two-year technical programs to four-year research universities, but know this upfront: BLS reports that forensic science technicians typically need at least a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation nationally. An associate degree can be a starting point or can lead to a related support role, but confirm with the specific school or employer before assuming it’s a direct path into a forensic science technician job.

Associate-level programs in Ohio commonly run around 60 credits, split between general education and major coursework, though the exact total and mix vary by school. Bachelor’s programs commonly run around 120 credits and take four to five years depending on course load and transfer credit, and that also varies by institution.

Associate-Level Forensic Science Technology Classes

Course titles and content vary by program. These are examples from Ohio associate-level curricula, not a statewide requirement list:

Forensic Investigations: Walks through the full process start to finish, from getting the call to working the scene, collecting evidence, and building the case.
Forensic Photography: Evidence photos have to meet specific legal standards. You’ll learn which cameras and techniques hold up in court.
Forensic Criminalistics: This class isn’t about who did it. It’s about how. You’ll use physical evidence to reconstruct a timeline.
Forensic Laboratory Techniques: This class teaches the lab procedures and protocols used to process and analyze evidence.

Bachelor’s Degree in Forensic Chemistry

These are examples from Ohio bachelor’s curricula, not statewide requirements:

Arson, Explosives, and DNA: A lab course where you collect evidence from burned and blown-up scenes, then process and compare DNA samples against a database.
Procedures, Drugs, and Trace Analysis: This course covers chain-of-custody procedures used in crime labs, plus how to test for drugs and trace evidence.
Forensic Biology: Human biology meets evidence procedure, the backbone of most lab work you’ll do after graduation.
Procedures, Rules, and Test of Evidence: The rules of evidence in an Ohio courtroom, and how to test evidence so it holds up when a defense attorney challenges it.

Where to Study Forensic Science in Ohio

Fourteen Ohio institutions offer a security-science-and-technology program, the federal CIP family that includes forensic science, per U.S. Department of Education data. That family also covers general security science and cyber/computer forensics, so confirm with each school’s admissions office that the specific track on offer is forensic science, not security management, before you apply.

Institution	City	Type	Credential Reported in CIP Family
Ashland University	Ashland	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Cedarville University	Cedarville	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Central Ohio Technical College	Newark	Public, 4-year	Associate’s
Defiance College	Defiance	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Lorain County Community College	Elyria	Public, 4-year	Undergraduate certificate
Miami University-Oxford	Oxford	Public, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Ohio Northern University	Ada	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Sinclair Community College	Dayton	Public, 4-year	Associate’s
Southern State Community College	Hillsboro	Public, 2-year	Associate’s
The University of Findlay	Findlay	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
Tiffin University	Tiffin	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Bachelor’s
University of Northwestern Ohio	Lima	Private nonprofit, 4-year	Associate’s, Bachelor’s
Washington State Community College	Marietta	Public, 4-year	Associate’s
Youngstown State University	Youngstown	Public, 4-year	Bachelor’s

Confirm current enrollment, program format, and admission requirements directly with each school before you apply. This data is a federal snapshot, not a live catalog, and a program can shift between the collection date and the day you call admissions.

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.

What Forensic Scientists Earn in Ohio

Forensic science technicians: Ohio reported about 470 workers in the role as of May 2025, per BLS OEWS data. BLS does not publish an Ohio median wage for this occupation in the May 2025 data. What is published: state projections put forensic science technician employment on track to grow 9% between 2024 and 2034, from 500 to 540 positions, per ProjectionsCentral, the Department of Labor-sponsored tracker for state-level job growth.

Detectives and criminal investigators are a separate law enforcement occupation, not a next step from forensic science technician work. In Ohio, detectives and criminal investigators earned a median $79,300 as of May 2025 (BLS). State projections show this occupation’s employment declining 2.1% between 2024 and 2034, from about 2,140 positions to about 2,090.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a forensic science degree to work in an Ohio crime lab?

BLS reports that forensic science technicians typically need at least a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation. Some related support or evidence-handling positions may accept an associate degree, but that depends on the specific employer, so confirm the requirement directly with the lab or agency you’re applying to.

What’s the difference between an associate and bachelor’s program in Ohio?

An associate program commonly runs around 60 credits over two years. A bachelor’s commonly runs around 120 credits over four to five years. Exact credit totals, curriculum, and timelines vary by school, so check the specific program you’re considering. Nationally, BLS reports a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry point for forensic science technician jobs.

How much do forensic science technicians make in Ohio?

BLS does not publish an Ohio median wage for forensic science technicians in the May 2025 data. What’s known: about 470 people worked in the role statewide as of May 2025, and state projections show the occupation’s employment growing 9% through 2034 per ProjectionsCentral.

Is becoming a detective a natural next step after forensic science technician work?

No, they’re separate occupations. A forensic science technician is typically a civilian lab and evidence role entered through a bachelor’s degree. Detective and criminal investigator positions are sworn law enforcement roles with their own agency-specific hiring and training requirements. In Ohio, detectives and criminal investigators earned a median $79,300 in May 2025, and that occupation’s employment is projected to decline 2.1% through 2034 (ProjectionsCentral).

Do Ohio schools require an internship for a forensic science degree?

Requirements vary by program. An internship can provide relevant hands-on experience, so check the specific requirements and offerings of any program you’re considering rather than assuming it’s required everywhere.

Key Takeaways

14 Ohio institutions offer a security-science-and-technology program, the CIP family covering forensic science, per federal education data. Confirm the specific track with each school.
470 forensic science technicians worked in Ohio as of May 2025, with state projections showing 9% employment growth through 2034 (ProjectionsCentral).
BLS does not publish an Ohio median wage for forensic science technicians in the May 2025 data.
Detectives and criminal investigators are a separate law enforcement occupation, earning a median $79,300 in Ohio (BLS), with employment projected to decline 2.1% through 2034.
Forensic science technician is typically a bachelor’s-level occupation nationally (BLS). Confirm each Ohio program’s specific credits, curriculum, and format before enrolling.

Lab work and sworn fieldwork are different careers with different paths. Decide which one you actually want before you commit four years and tuition to a single track.

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