Forensic Science Careers and Degrees in South Carolina

Updated September 30, 2026

Southern Wesleyan University offers a B.S. in Forensic Science with concentrations in biology, chemistry and computing, the one South Carolina institution the federal education dataset behind this page identifies in that program family. Most other paths into the field run through a natural science or criminal justice degree instead. As of May 2025 BLS data, the state’s forensic science technicians have a median wage of $51,830, and detectives and criminal investigators, $62,760.

Forensic science pulls people in through the TV version: swab a surface, run it through a database, make an arrest before the next commercial break. The real job in South Carolina is more specialized and more varied than that, split across lab work, crime-scene work, digital evidence and separate occupations like detective work that lean on forensic evidence without producing it. Here’s what’s actually available in-state, what the jobs pay, and how South Carolina’s coroner system fits in.

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How Forensic Science Programs Are Typically Structured

Forensic-science-adjacent programs come in a few common shapes, though exact requirements vary by school. An associate degree typically runs around 60 credits and covers evidence-handling fundamentals. A bachelor’s degree typically runs around 120 credits and adds deeper lab technique, legal procedure and terminology. Certificate programs vary more widely: a technical certificate might run 15 to 30 credits and accept applicants with just a high school diploma, while a graduate certificate usually runs 30 to 45 credits and requires a bachelor’s already in hand. Not every program includes hands-on laboratory work as a requirement, so check a specific school’s curriculum directly if that matters to your plans.

Coursework You Might See at the Associate Level

Programs vary, but example courses include:

Criminalistics
Fingerprint Science
Forensic Photography
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

Coursework You Might See at the Bachelor’s Level

Again, this varies by school. Examples include:

Criminal Law
Forensic Chemistry or Forensic Biology
Crime Scene Investigation
Courts and Legal Procedure

Southern Wesleyan University’s Forensic Science Program

Southern Wesleyan University, in Central, South Carolina, runs a B.S. in Forensic Science built around hands-on laboratory training, with three concentrations: biology, chemistry, and computing. The biology concentration centers on DNA and biochemical analysis. The chemistry concentration covers organic and inorganic analysis, including fingerprint, firearms, and tool-mark work. The computing concentration is digital forensics, a distinct discipline from lab-based forensic science that focuses on recovering and analyzing digital evidence rather than physical evidence.

Not every forensic case is a swabbed crime scene. Digital forensics investigates financial records, device activity, and location data instead of physical evidence, and it’s often a different job title and skill set than a lab-based forensic science technician. In 2017, investigators used exactly these techniques, tracing financial and device activity, to build a case against a group of Irish Travelers running an organized-crime operation through South Carolina (The State, 2017). That’s the kind of work SWU’s computing concentration prepares students for, distinct from the biology and chemistry tracks.

Where to Study Forensic Science in South Carolina

The federal education dataset behind this page identifies one South Carolina institution in the program family that includes forensic science.

Institution	City	Control	Credential Offered
Southern Wesleyan University	Central, SC	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s (B.S. in Forensic Science)

This reflects what the federal dataset behind this page captures, not a guarantee that no other South Carolina school offers a related program under a different name. Confirm current enrollment, program format, and admission requirements directly with the school before applying.

What Forensic Science and Investigative Jobs Pay in South Carolina

Two occupations in this field have BLS wage data specific to South Carolina.

Occupation	Median Annual Wage (SC)	ProjectionsCentral Growth (SC, 2024–34)
Forensic Science Technicians	$51,830	19.3%
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$62,760	5.1%

As of May 2025 BLS data, forensic science technicians in South Carolina have a median annual wage of $51,830. That’s a statewide median, not a starting salary, so actual pay depends on the employer, the specific lab, and whether the role is lab-based, crime-scene-based, or both. ProjectionsCentral’s 2024–34 state projections put growth for the occupation at 19.3% in South Carolina.

Detectives and criminal investigators are a separate BLS occupation from forensic science technicians, though their casework often relies on forensic evidence. As of May 2025 BLS data, they have the higher median wage of the two roles in South Carolina, $62,760. ProjectionsCentral’s 2024–34 projections put growth for the role at 5.1% in the state.

Coroners in South Carolina: A Separate, State-Regulated Role

Coroner is neither a forensic science technician position nor a detective position. It’s an elected office with its own statutory requirements under South Carolina law (S.C. Code Ann. § 17-5-130). A coroner must be a U.S. citizen, a South Carolina resident, a registered voter, at least 25 years old, and hold a high school diploma. Beyond that baseline, a candidate needs at least one of the following:

Three years of death-investigation experience with a law enforcement, coroner, or medical examiner agency
An associate degree plus two years of that experience
A bachelor’s degree plus one year of that experience
Certification as a law enforcement officer through the South Carolina Law Enforcement Training Council, with at least two years on the job

A recognized forensic science degree or certification program is one of the pathways the statute accounts for toward those qualifications.

Every coroner serving a first term must complete a basic training session set by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. The academy’s Coroners Training Advisory Committee determines both the annual training requirements and which forensic science degree or certification programs qualify as “recognized” under the law. In less populated counties, one coroner may serve the entire county rather than a single city.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a forensic science degree to work in a South Carolina crime lab?

Not necessarily. Education requirements vary by employer and position. Lab-based forensic science technician roles often call for coursework in chemistry or biology specifically, while some crime-scene or field roles accept a broader natural science or criminal justice background. Check the specific job posting rather than assuming one degree path works everywhere.

Are there forensic science degree programs in South Carolina?

The federal education dataset behind this page identifies one South Carolina institution, Southern Wesleyan University, offering a B.S. in Forensic Science with concentrations in biology, chemistry, and computing. Students who want more options sometimes pursue a broader chemistry or biology degree at another in-state school and specialize through coursework and internships.

How much do forensic science technicians make in South Carolina?

The median is $51,830 a year, as of May 2025 BLS data. That’s a statewide median, not a starting salary or a promised pay progression, so actual pay depends on the employer, the specific lab, and the role.

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

They’re separate BLS occupations. A forensic science technician may work in a lab, at a crime scene, or both, depending on the employer. A detective or criminal investigator interviews witnesses, builds case files, and often relies on forensic evidence without producing it directly. How you get into either role varies by agency.

Does South Carolina require a specific certification to become a forensic science technician?

No. There’s no single nationwide license or certification required for the occupation. Individual labs and employers set their own education and training requirements, and some offer voluntary specialty certifications. Sworn law enforcement roles, including detective positions, are certified separately through South Carolina’s own training framework, not through a forensic science credential.

Key Takeaways

One confirmed in-state program – Southern Wesleyan University’s B.S. in Forensic Science (biology, chemistry and computing concentrations) is the one South Carolina institution the federal education dataset behind this page identifies in this program family.
Pay differs by occupation, not by “forensic science” as a label – Forensic science technicians have a median $51,830 statewide, while detectives and criminal investigators have the higher median at $62,760, both per May 2025 BLS data.
Growth is strongest for technicians – ProjectionsCentral’s 2024–34 state projections put forensic science technician growth at 19.3% in South Carolina, against 5.1% for detectives and investigators.
A coroner is a separate, state-regulated role – South Carolina law sets its own coroner qualifications and training requirements through the SC Criminal Justice Academy and Law Enforcement Training Council, distinct from forensic science technician or detective credentials.

Looking for Forensic Science Programs in Another State?

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