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Crime scene analyst education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a crime scene analyst. Crime scene analysts usually study criminal justice, biology, or sociology. 82% of crime scene analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 9% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 51 real crime scene analyst resumes to see exactly what crime scene analyst education sections show.
The most common colleges for crime scene analysts are the University of Nevada - Las Vegas and the University of Nevada - Las Vegas.
There are also many online crime scene analyst courses to help get the education required to be a crime scene analyst.
What education do you need to become a crime scene analyst?
What degree do you need to be a crime scene analyst?
- Bachelor's, 82%
- Associate, 9%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Master's, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a crime scene analyst?
- Criminal Justice, 34%
- Biology, 19%
- Sociology, 9%
- Chemistry, 6%
- Other Majors, 32%
Most common colleges for crime scene analysts
| Crime scene analyst common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Nevada - Las Vegas | 12.00% |
| Troy University | 12.00% |
| University of Southern Mississippi | 8.00% |
| Western Washington University | 4.00% |
| Florida Institute of Technology | 4.00% |
Best majors for crime scene analysts
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Justice | 34.4% |
| 2 | Biology | 18.8% |
| 3 | Sociology | 9.4% |
| 4 | Chemistry | 6.3% |
| 5 | Psychology | 3.1% |
Best colleges for crime scene analysts
The best colleges for crime scene analysts are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
A crime scene analyst with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for crime scene analysts. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become crime scene analysts.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Enrollment
24,163
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
20 best online courses for crime scene analysts
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20. Scene Creation with Blender and Substance Painter
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Top 10 most affordable universities for crime scene analysts
The most affordable schools for crime scene analysts are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for crime scene analysts are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for crime scene analysts.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
10. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for crime scene analysts
The hardest universities for crime scene analysts to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for crime scene analysts are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for crime scene analysts based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
10. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for crime scene analysts
The easiest schools for crime scene analysts to get into are Wayland Baptist University, notre dame college, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a crime scene analyst without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for crime scene analysts.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
5. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
6. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
7. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
8. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
9. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
10. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
Average crime scene analyst salary by education level
| Crime scene analyst education level | Crime scene analyst salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $72,133 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $58,678 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $61,453 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $64,944 |
Crime scene analyst education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025