Quick answer: 10 colleges within 100 miles of New Bedford, Massachusetts award a forensic science degree, the nearest about 16 miles away (IPEDS Completions, 2024).
Compare forensic science programs you can start from New Bedford:
| Distance from New Bedford | Colleges awarding this degree |
|---|---|
| Within 25 miles | 1 |
| Within 50 miles | 5 |
| Within 100 miles | 10 |
| Within 250 miles | 39 |
Source: IPEDS Completions, 2024, counting institutions that reported awarding this degree, joined to IPEDS institution coordinates. Distances are straight-line.
There are 5 degree-awarding colleges within 50 miles of New Bedford, rising to 10 within 100 miles. The nearest is about 16 miles away, so a hybrid schedule is workable but a daily commute would be a commitment.
The subject matter does not change by location: forensic chemistry and biology, crime scene investigation, forensic microscopy, evidence handling, and expert testimony. What changes is how you take it. Ask each college whether the program holds accreditation from the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC), how much of the coursework is delivered online, and which components require you on campus. Credit transfer is decided by the receiving institution and genuinely varies, so request a written transfer evaluation before you enroll.
This page lists 7 schools within 88 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 7 of them carry a score.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Forensic Science Technicians in Massachusetts earn a median $79,320 per year against $72,060 nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Massachusetts median for forensic science technicians is $79,320 per year, above the national median of $72,060, on state employment of 290 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
These are statewide figures. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish wages at city level, so no page can tell you what this job pays in New Bedford specifically. For the metro-level picture where it is published, and the full percentile spread, see the Massachusetts page.
Fall River * Worcester * Leominster * Springfield * Chicopee * Northampton * Pittsfield
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
