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Criminalist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a criminalist. Criminalists usually study chemistry, criminal justice, or biology. 72% of criminalists hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 198 real criminalist resumes to see exactly what criminalist education sections show.
The most common colleges for criminalists are the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York.
There are also many online criminalist courses to help get the education required to be a criminalist.
What education do you need to become a criminalist?
What degree do you need to be a criminalist?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 19%
- Associate, 4%
- Doctorate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a criminalist?
- Chemistry, 27%
- Criminal Justice, 24%
- Biology, 23%
- Other Majors, 22%
Most common colleges for criminalists
| Criminalist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York | 18.52% |
| Northern Arizona University | 9.26% |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 7.41% |
| Arizona State University | 5.56% |
| Pace University | 3.70% |
Best majors for criminalists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 27.0% |
| 2 | Criminal Justice | 24.1% |
| 3 | Biology | 23.4% |
| 4 | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | 4.3% |
| 5 | Anthropology | 3.5% |
Best colleges for criminalists
The best colleges for criminalists are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A criminalist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for criminalists. 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 criminalists.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
7. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Enrollment
31,321
8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
9. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
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 criminalists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for criminalists
The most affordable schools for criminalists are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and university of florida.
If the best universities for criminalists 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 criminalists.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
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 criminalists
The hardest universities for criminalists to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for criminalists 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 criminalists 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. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
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 criminalists
The easiest schools for criminalists 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 criminalist 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 criminalists.
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. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
6. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
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 criminalist salary by education level
| Criminalist education level | Criminalist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $85,309 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $65,317 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $69,341 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $74,477 |
Criminalist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025