Blood spatter, DNA, bullet ballistics. To make these pieces of physical evidence usable in court, lawyers and prosecutors need forensic analysts trained in biology, chemistry, or physics to interpret their presence at a crime scene.
How did they get there and what does it tell us about what happened? To answer these questions scientists need strong educational backgrounds, such as one of the 20 Best Master's in Forensic Science.
What Is Forensic Science?
Forensic Science is the application of hard sciences including physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, or engineering to matters of law or criminal justice. Scientists work with law enforcement to investigate things such as the physics of blood spatter or to source trace amounts of drugs with chemistry.
The information and expertise provided by forensic scientists can help provide hard evidence for investigators. Each crime science provides its own unique challenges, which is why investigators must have a strong academic background and critical thinking abilities.
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How Much Money Can I Earn Working in Forensic Science?
Forensic science is a highly specialized field and the skills that students in these programs develop are always in high demand. Entry-level forensic science technicians earn an average of around $58,000 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Technicians who hold Master's degree are more likely to earn closer to $75,000-$80,000 per year.
There are currently more than 15,400 people working in this field in the United States, and the BLS expects a 17 percent growth (much faster than average) in this job market over the coming decade. That translates to more than 2,600 new job openings! All waiting for someone with the right credentials.
Why Choose A Master's in Forensic Science?
Master's degrees give students more options than undergraduate programs can offers. By delving further into their field of choice, students can learn whether or not they prefer the academic or professional aspects of subjects like forensic science.
As mentioned above, master's graduates who wish to begin their professional careers can enter the field with a salary at least $20,000 more compared to students with just a bachelor's. And students who find the academic side of the subject more fulfilling will be prepared to enter doctoral programs that can lead to teaching jobs or highly specialized work in the area of their dissertation.
What Are the 20 Best Master's in Forensic Science?
We've found that the best degrees are those that offer fair not only fair prices, but ample flexibility and convenience as well! To find the best degrees for you, we look at the best schools in the country based on reputation, student satisfaction, program quality, and return on investment. Then we review the bottom line – just how much is this going to cost? Check out ourmethodology page for a more in depth description of our data.
Once we determine all of the above, we curate a list of stellar schools for you! These not only represent the best degrees you can get, but also ones that will fit your budget. Check out our picks below!
Best Forensic Science Master's Degrees
See our rankings methodology page.
