Forensic Science Colleges in Oklahoma

You might not think that a world-class institute dedicated to forensic science education and research would be located in Oklahoma (OK), but that is exactly the case with the Forensic Science Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma. While many students choose to enroll there, there are several other universities in Oklahoma with strong forensic science programs of their own. These programs help students develop or build upon an extensive background in the sciences to prepare for a career as a forensic scientist, as a specialist such as a forensic toxicologist, or even as a university professor or researcher.

Forensic science technicians typically complete an undergraduate degree in natural science and then a master’s degree, specifically in forensic science, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2024). Of course, there is more than one educational path to obtaining a job and building a career, but the acquisition of more and more knowledge allows graduates to pursue more nuanced forensic science fields, such as forensic anthropology or forensic pathology. As it is, a bachelor’s or master’s degree built upon a strong science foundation may enable graduates to pursue employment in a forensic science lab.

Another alternative to consider is crime scene investigation (CSI). Many people pursue this by starting off with a career in law enforcement and then gaining CSI skills and training on the job. However, not all crime scene investigators are law enforcement officials and those who want to be employed as civilians may find it helpful to obtain a bachelor’s degree in crime scene investigation or technology.

So what can aspiring forensic scientists in Virginia expect to learn through competitive degree and certificate programs in the state? According to the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), these professionals master a variety of skills and role-related responsibilities such as processing and documenting evidence methodically; performing scientific analysis on various types of evidence (e.g., bodily secretions, fibers, plants, drugs, footprints, soils, plastics, ballistics, etc); working closely with medical and legal personnel; keeping abreast of methodological and technological developments in the field; and providing expert testimony in court cases.

The AAFS states that forensic scientists typically have at least a bachelor’s degree and there is a range of specialized subfields of study, including arson, bite marks, fingerprints, firearms, DNA, child abuse, toxicology, death investigation, digital evidence, and more.

Read on to discover how and where to learn these crime-solving skills in Oklahoma, and find out more about the state’s employment outlook, the types of accredited forensics programs available, and professional certification for forensics professionals.

Becoming a Crime Scene Investigator in Oklahoma

Crime scene investigation is another occupational choice for those interested in forensic science. However, this career requires time spent out at the scene of a crime and consulting with other professionals instead of in a lab analyzing evidence. Below are several options for seeking CSI education.

Option 1: Certificate or associate degree.

A one-year program leading to a certificate or a two-year program leading to an associate degree can provide students with the foundational knowledge, such as in crime scene procedures and the legalities of CSI, that are essential to the field.

Option 2: A bachelor’s degree.

Students already having an associate degree may choose to use their credits to complete a full undergraduate degree in CSI. With an existing associate’s degree, this should take two more years of study, but without an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree should take four years. In addition to studying CSI in greater depth, students will likely have more options for electives than at the associate degree or lower level. Lab work also will be important.

Option 3: A law enforcement career.

Many people enter CSI by pursuing a career in law enforcement. This requires completion of an academy, the length of which will vary by jurisdiction but typically is a year or less, and may sometimes even necessitate some level of education. Again, requirements vary by jurisdiction.

Crime scene investigators who also are members of a law enforcement agency may have better opportunities in terms of career advancement and even pay. Another advantage to the law enforcement route, according to the International Crime Scene Investigators Association (ICSIA), is that law enforcement officials have the ability to arrest people for crimes. That said, law enforcement agencies do hire people who have not gone through an academy, but, in this case, a degree may be highly advantageous as the ICSIA notes: “Those few police agencies that do hire civilian CSIs usually require a college degree and some knowledge of processing crime scenes, but not all agencies have that requirement.”

Occupational Demand in Forensics in Oklahoma

Overall growth in the forensic science occupation is quite strong. As proof of point, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) projects that openings for forensic science technicians will increase 14 percent between 2023 and 2033, much faster than the growth rate expected for all occupations during that time period (4 percent). This expected addition of 2,500 positions nationally is only one career possibility for people trained in forensic science.

Moreover, Projections Central (2024) found that demand for forensic science technicians in Oklahoma specifically is expected to grow 10 percent between 2022 and 2032. With just 110 employed forensic science technicians as of May 2023 (BLS), Oklahoma has a limited array of employment opportunities in this particular field. Still, for the educated and qualified individual, there should be opportunities.

The BLS (2024) found that 27 percent of forensic science technicians in the US work for the state government and 60 percent work for the local government. They work in morgues, crime laboratories, medical examiner offices, or police departments. There is a wealth of other places of employment in forensic science, depending on one’s specialty.

These professionals may go into several available careers such as forensic engineers, medical examiners, crime laboratory analysts, crime scene examiners, document examiners, physical anthropologists, criminal profilers, digital analysts, and behavior scientists.

The experiential requirements, education, and training may vary for these professionals. The American Academy of Forensic Scientists (AAFS) has various resources for these professionals, including a list of journal articles, networking organizations, continuing education opportunities, and support for the Young Forensic Scientists Forum (YFSF).

Finally, the ForensicsColleges blog offers several in-depth career articles for forensic science graduates in its How to Become series, with step-by-step instructions to becoming profilers, crime scene technicians, forensic psychologists, forensic accountants, detectives, and more.

There are a number of places to look for forensic science jobs in Oklahoma, particularly with local and state governmental agencies. One place, of course, is the Forensic Science Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma. This Institute undertakes training and research as it relates to various aspects of forensic science, ranging from evidence collection to analysis as well as reporting and testimony. Of course, professors and professionals also may be needed to teach at this school. Some other places to look for jobs could include the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Forensic Science Center or the Tulsa Police Department Forensic Laboratory.

However, more job opportunities, including in crime scene investigation, could be available in Oklahoma’s larger cities, such as Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, and even Broken Arrow. While law enforcement agencies may be some of the best places to look for CSI or crime scene lab jobs, universities, private organizations, and even corporations could also be another source for career opportunities, depending on the niche skills that graduates already have.

How Much Do Forensics Professionals Make in Oklahoma?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2023) reported that there were 110 forensic science technicians in the state.

Furthermore, BLS found that the salary figures are somewhat lower than the national salary ranges. As proof of point, the United States employs 17,520 forensic science technicians with an average annual salary (mean annual wage) of $71,540. In OK, the average salary in this field is $55,570.

In more detailed terms, here is a breakdown of the salary percentiles among all forensic science technicians in the country compared with those in OK (BLS May 2023):

The national figures were slightly different according to another source of data, PayScale (January 2025), which relies on self-reported salaries. Among the forensic science techs reporting their annual salaries, Payscale found these percentiles for the US:

• 10th percentile: $34,000
• 50th percentile (median): $57,322
• 90th percentile: $78,000

While the figures for Oklahoma are somewhat lower than the national salary ranges found by the BLS (May 2023), it is also important to note that Oklahoma has an extremely low cost of living. In fact, the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC 2024) reports that Oklahoma is ranked 4th for the lowest cost of living in the country, with only Mississippi, Kansas, and West Virginia being more affordable.

Featured Forensic Science Colleges in Oklahoma

Several opportunities are available to students seeking forensic science training through campus-based programs in Oklahoma. This includes undergraduate and graduate programs and thesis and non-thesis options for master’s degree programs. Prospective students are urged to seek out programs accredited by either the Forensic Science Education Program Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) or the regional Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

The former focuses on programmatic accreditation, particularly interdisciplinary bachelor’s and master’s programs offered through hard sciences departments (e.g., biology, chemistry). The latter is an institutional accreditation body recognized by the US Department of Education.

Some of the forensic science program options in Oklahoma are directly listed below.

University of Central Oklahoma

The University of Central Oklahoma, based in Edmond, Oklahoma, has several programs in forensic science and criminal justice both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Most notably, the university offers a FEPAC-accredited bachelor’s as well as a FEPAC-accredited master’s degree in forensic science.

The bachelor of science (BS) degree in forensic science has four tracks: forensic molecular biology, forensic chemistry, forensic investigations, and digital forensics. Each BS track at UCO has been accredited by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC), which is the only accrediting body of its kind.

Made up of 139 credits, the program includes courses such as introduction to forensic science; crime scene processing; criminal procedures for forensic science; forensic sci analysis; forensic toxicology; forensic serology; digital evidence; and crime scene photography.

The master of science program in forensic science can be completed as a standalone program or with optional concentration options in digital forensics, chemistry, and molecular biology. Made up of 36 credits, the program includes courses such as advanced crime scene processing and investigations; forensic science analysis; expert witness; research methods in forensic science; and professional issues in forensic science.

• Location: Edmond, OK
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Expected Time to Completion: Two to four years

Oklahoma Christian University

Oklahoma Christian University offers a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at its Edmond-based campus. Ideal for students who are interested in learning about the laws, institutions, and public policies of national, global, and local governance, this program encompasses a broad substantive and theoretical survey of governance institutions, public policies, and laws. Graduates will be prepared for law school, entry-level public service careers, and many graduate programs in political science, public policy, political management, and public administration.

A total of 126 credits are needed to complete the bachelor’s degree. The curriculum includes courses such as introduction to cybersecurity; introduction to criminal justice; theories of criminal behavior; cultural diversity in criminal justice; criminal procedure; victimology; and policing in America.

• Location: Edmond, OK
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Expected Time to Completion: Four years

Rose State College

Rose State College offers an associate in arts degree in criminal justice preparing students for careers in criminal justice and to continue their education in a related baccalaureate degree program. Employment opportunities include correctional officers, police officers, private security, border patrol, customs, and TSA security.

This 62-credit program includes courses such as introduction to law enforcement; police report writing; criminology; delinquency & the juvenile justice system; ethics in criminal justice; 3 introduction to the criminal process; introduction to corrections; and probation, parole, & community corrections.

• Location: Midwest City, OK
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Expected Time to Completion: Two years

Alternatively, students who want to attend other schools in the state might just choose to work on an undergraduate degree in biology or chemistry and supplement that with criminal justice or forensic science electives as they are available.

For more information on forensics schools and specializations, please visit the forensic programs page.

Hybrid & Online Programs

A broad number of criminal justice programs are available online that could include courses in CSI and the related forensic sciences. However, the programs that are available specific to forensic science will be more limited in general, but those that are offered online are likely to be in greater supply at the graduate level. Several online program options are listed below.

Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University, a Tulsa, Oklahoma-based school, has several online graduate certificates, several online graduate degrees, and two degrees at the doctoral level in forensic science.

The hybrid master of science program in forensic science has five specialization options in arson, explosives, firearms, and toolmarks investigation; forensic investigative sciences; forensic chemistry/toxicology; forensic psychology; and forensic biology/DNA.

Made up of 30 credits, the program includes courses such as survey of forensic sciences; ethical research and scientific writing; the law and expert evidence; forensic statistics; quality assurance in forensic science; fingerprints and their role in forensic science; methods in forensic sciences; juvenile issues in forensic sciences; and case studies in forensic science.

• Location: Tulsa, OK
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Expected Time to Completion: Two years

Stevenson University

As an out-of-state option, Stevenson University, which is based in Stevenson, MD, offers a host of online programs in forensic science and criminal justice. These include a graduate certificate in crime scene investigation, a graduate certificate in digital forensics, a graduate certificate in forensic accounting, a graduate certificate in forensic investigation, a criminal justice bachelor’s degree, a master’s in crime scene investigation, a master’s in cybersecurity and digital forensics, a master’s in forensic accounting, a master’s in forensic investigation, a master’s in forensic studies, and finally a master’s in forensic science.

The online master’s in forensic science program has two concentrations in forensic biology and forensic chemistry. Made up of 36 credits, the program includes courses such as physical evidence at crime scenes; serology & immunology; trace evidence; crime scene investigation; toxicology; and DNA analysis, among others.

• Location: Owings Mills, MD
• Accreditation: Middles States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• Expected Time to Completion: Two years

Arizona State University

Arizona State University offers an online bachelor of science program in forensic science teaching students about interpreting evidence and solving crimes using the latest science and technology. Students in this program will gain hands-on experience investigating crimes and learn practical forensic science techniques. Upon graduation, they will be equipped to work in crime labs at the local, state, and federal levels. Notably, the program requires two, separate, in-person summer lab experiences in Arizona.

This 120-credit program includes courses such as analytical chemistry for life sciences; testimony and ethics in the forensic sciences; fundamentals of forensic analysis; principles of forensic science; fundamentals of genetics; and modern concepts in biochemistry.

• Location: Glendale, AZ
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Expected Time to Completion: Four years

Online education is important in providing students with flexible options when it comes to their education, particularly if they have other commitments, such as a full-time job or a family to raise. Check out our list of online forensic science programs to find a more complete list of programs available online at the undergraduate, graduate, and certificate levels for those who may be interested in a forensic science career.

Program Accreditation & Certification

The AAFS accredits programs through its accrediting arm, the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission, or FEPAC. Because the accreditation process through FEPAC is rigorous, there are not many accredited programs in forensic science available across the U.S., making the existence of two FEPAC-accredited programs (at UCO) quite notable. However, not all forensic science or CSI programs have or need this accreditation to provide a valuable and recognized education. Indeed, FEPAC only accredits those programs that are highly focused on science coursework, making many CSI and criminal justice programs ineligible for accreditation.

For those programs that have not earned FEPAC accreditation, students should be sure to review a school’s institutional accreditation. For instance, in addition to its FEPAC accreditation, the University of Central Oklahoma has earned institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission.

Graduation from a FEPAC-accredited school could be beneficial when it comes to seeking employment, but students could also seek certification in their specific CSI or forensic science discipline to increase job competitiveness.

Although professional certification is not always necessary to secure employment in forensics in Oklahoma, it may be advisable for several reasons. First, certification can indicate a job applicant’s knowledge in a particular area and improve one’s resume. Second, it can enhance a person’s earning potential, opportunities for advancement, and leadership responsibilities. Lastly, a national certification can be transferable to other states across the country.

Requirements for common professional certifications in forensics vary, but they generally include having at least a bachelor’s degree in forensics, biology, chemistry, or another relevant field; having several years of verifiable experience; sending professional references; and passing an exam. There are currently nine professional certifications recognized by the Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board (FSAB), including:

• American Board of Forensic Anthropology (ABFA)
• American Board of Forensic Document Examiners (ABFDE)
• American Board of Forensic Odontology (ABFO)
• American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT)
• American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI)
• Board of Forensic Document Examiners (BFDE)
• International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
• International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists (IACIS)
• International Board of Forensic Engineering Sciences (IBFES)

Those who wish to have detailed information on credentialing within each subfield of forensics can visit our programs or careers page.

Students may also wish to become members of a forensic science organization, which could provide opportunities to attend conferences, receive continuing education, or network with others. Some of the organizations offering either certification or membership include the following:

• American Board of Forensic Anthropology (ABFA)
• American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD)
• American Academy of Forensic Scientists (AAFS)

Organizations available at the state or regional level also could provide recent forensic science graduates in Oklahoma with even more opportunities. These could include the Oklahoma Division of the IAI or the Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists.