Forensic Science Degrees in Tennessee

Updated September 30, 2026

Five Tennessee colleges report a program in the Security Science and Technology field, the federal category that includes forensic science, per U.S. Department of Education data. BLS identifies a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education for forensic science technicians nationally. Tennessee’s forensic science technicians earn a median $70,500 a year, per May 2025 BLS wage data, and the state projects steady job growth through 2034.

Forget the crime drama. BLS notes that forensic science technicians may work in a laboratory, at a crime scene, or both, and the job leans on measurement, documentation, and testimony more than foot chases. Here’s what the degree landscape actually looks like in Tennessee, which in-state schools show up in federal program data, and what the job pays once you’re hired.

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What a Forensic Science Degree in Tennessee Actually Looks Like

BLS identifies a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education for forensic science technicians. An associate degree may qualify a candidate for some entry-level positions at some employers, but it isn’t the standard path into the occupation, and none of the five Tennessee programs in federal CIP data award one in this field. All five run bachelor’s through graduate-certificate level. If you want to start at the two-year mark, the realistic route is a related associate degree, chemistry, biology, or criminal justice, at a Tennessee community college, then transferring into one of the bachelor’s programs below.

The bachelor’s programs themselves vary more than the CIP rollup suggests. Middle Tennessee State University’s Forensic Science, B.S. is accredited by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC), a specific programmatic accreditation (not just the university’s general accreditation), and runs as a joint offering between the Biology, Chemistry, and Criminal Justice departments. It’s a useful benchmark for what a FEPAC-accredited forensic science bachelor’s looks like, but check any other program’s own accreditation status directly. Not every program that shows up in this federal CIP family is built the same way, as the table below shows.

A Separate Track: Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology is a distinct field from forensic science, not simply its graduate level. None of the five Tennessee schools above teach in this CIP family, so this section isn’t tied to the school list. If forensic or criminal psychology interests you, know that “forensic psychologist” generally refers to someone practicing as a licensed psychologist. In Tennessee, that requires a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) through the Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology, not a master’s. Tennessee does license some master’s-level practitioners, as Psychological Examiners or Senior Psychological Examiners, but that’s a narrower credential with its own scope of practice, not a path to calling yourself a forensic psychologist. Confirm the specifics with the Board directly before planning a degree around this goal.

Where to Study: Tennessee Schools in Federal CJ-Related Program Data

Five Tennessee institutions report a program in the Security Science and Technology CIP family, per U.S. Department of Education data. That family is broader than forensic science alone, and what each school actually offers ranges widely:

Institution	City	Credential	Program, as reported
Middle Tennessee State University	Murfreesboro	Bachelor’s	Forensic Science, B.S. (FEPAC-accredited), joint Biology/Chemistry/Criminal Justice program
King University	Bristol	Bachelor’s	Forensic Science, per the university’s own program listings
Christian Brothers University	Memphis	Bachelor’s	Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics (a computer-forensics degree), not a crime-lab science program
East Tennessee State University	Johnson City	Graduate certificate	Forensic Document Examination (a single specialty), not a general forensic science credential
Tennessee Wesleyan University	Athens	Bachelor’s	Criminal Justice, with a forensic-focused internship track (not a standalone forensic science major)

This reflects what each school reported to the federal government at the institution level, which doesn’t confirm the format of any single program. Program names and offerings can change between the data collection date and today, so confirm current enrollment, format, and admission requirements directly with the school before you apply.

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.

What You Can Earn in Tennessee

Two occupations relevant to this field have Tennessee-specific BLS data, and they pay differently because the work is different.

Forensic Science Technicians

As of May 2025 BLS wage data, Tennessee’s forensic science technicians earn a median of $70,500 a year. The state projects the occupation growing from 280 to 290 jobs by 2034, a 4.7% increase, with about 40 openings a year as people retire or move on. One Tennessee employer worth knowing by name: the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation commissions its Forensic Scientists as special agents and requires at least a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or a closely related scientific field, plus forensic and crime-scene training that TBI itself describes as extensive, on top of whatever forensic science coursework a candidate already has. That’s TBI’s own requirement for its Forensic Scientist positions specifically. TBI separately distinguishes these from its Forensic Technician support roles, and other Tennessee labs and employers set their own hiring standards.

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Tennessee’s detectives and criminal investigators earn a median $77,090 a year, per the same May 2025 BLS data. The state projects this occupation growing from 1,680 to 1,760 jobs by 2034, a 4.9% increase, with roughly 120 openings a year. Becoming a detective runs through sworn law enforcement rather than a forensic science credential. It means hiring on as a police officer first, completing Tennessee’s peace-officer certification requirements, and then testing or applying into an investigative assignment, an agency-specific process with its own timeline and prerequisites.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a degree to work in forensic science in Tennessee?

There’s no single statewide rule, since requirements vary by employer and position. Nationally, BLS identifies a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education for forensic science technicians. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation specifically requires at least a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or a closely related science for its commissioned Forensic Scientist positions. Other Tennessee labs and employers may set different standards, so confirm directly with any agency or lab you’re targeting.

What’s the real difference between an associate and a bachelor’s degree here?

The coursework differs: an associate typically covers foundational science and evidence-handling topics in less time and at lower cost, while a bachelor’s adds two more years and a deeper run through lab-based instrumental analysis. What isn’t established is that one path guarantees faster hiring or a higher ceiling. That depends on the specific employer and position, not the credential alone. None of the five Tennessee CIP-tracked programs above offer an associate option in this field, so an associate start here means beginning at a two-year school in a related subject and transferring.

How much do forensic science technicians make in Tennessee?

Tennessee’s forensic science technicians earn a median $70,500 a year, per May 2025 BLS wage data. Pay varies by employer, region, and years of experience.

Can a criminal justice or forensic science background lead to becoming a forensic psychologist in Tennessee?

Not directly. Forensic psychology is its own field, and practicing as a licensed psychologist in Tennessee requires a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) through the Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology, not a bachelor’s or master’s in criminal justice or forensic science. Tennessee does license some master’s-level practitioners in psychology under separate credentials with a narrower scope. If this is the goal, start by talking with the Board directly about which graduate path actually gets you there.

Key Takeaways

A bachelor’s is the typical starting point, not an associate. BLS identifies a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education for forensic science technicians, and none of Tennessee’s five CIP-tracked programs in this field award an associate degree.
The five Tennessee programs aren’t interchangeable. They range from a FEPAC-accredited forensic science bachelor’s at MTSU to a cybersecurity-focused degree at Christian Brothers and a document-examination certificate at ETSU. Check the actual program, not just the CIP category.
Tennessee’s forensic science technicians earn a median $70,500. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s own Forensic Scientist positions specifically require a bachelor’s in chemistry or a closely related science, on top of whatever degree path you take.
Forensic psychology and detective work are both separate paths, not extensions of a forensic science degree. Practicing as a psychologist in Tennessee requires a doctorate. Becoming a detective runs through sworn law enforcement hiring and Tennessee’s peace-officer certification process.

Before you commit to any one program, call the specific lab, agency, or employer you’d want to work for and ask what degree, coursework, and certifications they actually require. That answer will tell you more than any CIP code will.

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