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Police evidence technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a police evidence technician. Police evidence technicians usually study criminal justice, sociology, or psychology. 43% of police evidence technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 174 real police evidence technician resumes to see exactly what police evidence technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for police evidence technicians are the Arizona State University and the Arizona State University.

There are also many online police evidence technician courses to help get the education required to be a police evidence technician.

What education do you need to become a police evidence technician?

What degree do you need to be a police evidence technician?

The most common degree for police evidence technicians is bachelor's degree, with 43% of police evidence technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 28% and associate degree degree at 15%.
  • Bachelor's, 43%
  • Associate, 28%
  • High School Diploma, 15%
  • Master's, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a police evidence technician?

You should major in criminal justice to become a police evidence technician. 44% of police evidence technicians major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a police evidence technician include sociology and psychology.

Most common colleges for police evidence technicians

Police evidence technicians often get their degrees at Arizona State University, Southern University at New Orleans, and Tallahassee Community College. Here are the most common colleges for police evidence technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Police evidence technician common collegePercentages
Arizona State University15.38%
Southern University at New Orleans11.54%
Tallahassee Community College7.69%
University of Southern Mississippi3.85%
Bryan College3.85%

Best majors for police evidence technicians

RankMajorPercentages
1Criminal Justice44.2%
2Sociology5.2%
3Psychology5.2%
4Business5.2%
5Biology3.9%

Best colleges for police evidence technicians

The best colleges for police evidence technicians are University of Tulsa, Syracuse University, and SUNY at Binghamton.

A police evidence technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for police evidence technicians. 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 police evidence technicians.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

2. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$58,230

Enrollment

6,600

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

4. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

5. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

6. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Enrollment

1,834

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

8. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

9. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Enrollment

32,072

20 best online courses for police evidence technicians

Advertising disclosure

1. Hot Topics in Criminal Justice

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The American criminal justice system is in need of reform. We incarcerate too many people. We pay insufficient attention to scientific advances that can help separate out the most and least culpable and dangerous. We grant the police far too much power to use force and technological surveillance. As a way of thinking about dealing with these problems, this course examines two over-arching issues: What should we do with people who have committed crime, and how should we identify who they are? On...

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Welcome to the Evidence-based Toxicology (EBT) course. In medicine and healthcare, evidence-based medicine has revolutionized the way that information is evaluated transparently and objectively. Over the past ten years, a movement in North America and Europe has attempted to translate this revolution to the field of toxicology. The Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) within the department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health...

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An introduction for legal professionals and other individuals with an interest in computer forensics...

5. Introduction to International Criminal Law

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-- About the Course -- From the Nuremberg trial to the case against Saddam Hussein, from the prosecution of Al-Qaeda terrorists to the trial of Somali pirates – no area of law is as important to world peace and security as international criminal law. Taught by one of the world’s leading experts in the field, this course will educate students about the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. We will explore the contours of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes,...

6. Trade & investment: evidence-based policies for development

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This MOOC prepares students that want to analyse trade and investment policies of developing countries and emerging markets. We couch you for the task of giving evidence-based policy. For students interested in policy advise the course brings a sound understanding of what can and what cannot be done with well-established theories and state-of-the-art research. For students interested in research the asset of this course is to learn how to effectively communicate research findings in a policy...

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9. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes

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‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...

10. Opioid Epidemic: From Evidence to Impact

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While prescription opioids serve an invaluable role for the treatment of cancer pain and pain at the end of life, their overuse for acute and chronic non-cancer pain as well as the increasing availability of heroin and illicit fentanyl, have contributed to the highest rates of overdose and opioid addiction in U.S. history. Evidence-informed solutions are urgently needed to address these issues and to promote high-quality care for those with pain. This course and the report it is based on are a...

11. Introduction to Criminal Psychology

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Learn digital forensics and be computer forensics investigator / Certificate after completing course / DFMC+ / DFIR 2023...

13. ERPO: A Civil Approach to Gun Violence Prevention Teach-Out

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Evidence shows that 1 life is saved for every 10-20 Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) issued. ERPOs are legally issued civil orders that allow people on the front lines to ask a court to prevent a person at imminent risk of harm to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing firearms during a critical period of risk. As of October 2020, ERPO laws have been enacted by nineteen states and the District of Columbia and while some aspects differ by state, the general process for applying...

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Personality Disorders, Violence, Sex Offence, Murder, and other types of crime...

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20. Computer Forensics Fundamentals

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Top 10 most affordable universities for police evidence technicians

The most affordable schools for police evidence technicians are SUNY Farmingdale, brigham young university, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for police evidence technicians 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 police evidence technicians.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

5. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,270

Cost of attendance

14,177

6. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. Southern University at New Orleans

New Orleans, LA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,033

Cost of attendance

12,702

9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for police evidence technicians

The hardest universities for police evidence technicians to get into are University of Tulsa, Syracuse University, and SUNY at Binghamton.

Some great schools for police evidence technicians 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 police evidence technicians 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. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

2. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

Admissions rate

50%

SAT average

1,284

3. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

4. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,304

5. University of Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,300

6. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

7. American University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,320

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for police evidence technicians

The easiest schools for police evidence technicians to get into are Nyack College, university of north texas at dallas, and la roche college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a police evidence technician 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 police evidence technicians.

1. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

2. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

3. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

4. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

5. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

6. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

7. Albertus Magnus College

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

931

8. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

9. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

10. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

Average police evidence technician salary by education level

Police evidence technicians with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $48,400 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, police evidence technicians earn a median annual income of $47,064 compared to $41,993 for police evidence technicians with an Associate degree.
Police evidence technician education levelPolice evidence technician salary
Master's Degree$48,400
High School Diploma or Less$39,828
Bachelor's Degree$47,064
Some College/ Associate Degree$41,993

Police evidence technician education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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