Forensic Science Degrees in New Jersey



new-jersey forensic science degree

Forensic Science

Forensic science combines science and investigation in order to aid and support  the prosecution or defense in criminal and civil investigations. While the profession has been widely romanticized by various TV shows, make no mistake – this job is most likely different that you expect.  In contrast with popular perception, this is a highly scientific role, which often involves detailed, painstaking work. Field duties are limited to a few areas of expertise, and most often than not a forensic scientist will spend his time in the lab.



If you made it this far, though, congratulations! You’re taking the first steps in joining a very rewarding profession and itsGOV is here to guide you through what you need to know and what you need to do to join a forensic science program in New Jersey.

Depending on the type of forensic science practiced, different degrees and educational backgrounds may help a candidate get a job and excel in this field. Regarding formal education, requirements vary across jobs, but you should definitely have a solid background in mathematics, biology and chemistry.



The National Institute of Justice, a division of the U.S. Department of Justice, offers guidelines for model undergraduate and graduate forensic science degree programs. According to the American Academy of Forensic Science, strong programs should offer a curriculum that concentrates on scientific writing, laboratory skills, public speaking, and computer software application training.

Forensic Science Requirements in New Jersey

The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department in New Jersey has been on the forefront of forensic science in its criminal investigations since the 1970s. Although the Criminal Investigation Unit started in 1970 with just crime scene photographers and fingerprint analysts, it grew in the 1980s to include a forensic photo technician and two forensic chemists. Additionally, the department began using a specialized forensic laser system in its forensic work in the 1980s, which only 12 forensic science departments in North America were using at the time.



In more recent years, the Ocean County Criminal Investigation Unit has assisted crime expert Dr. Henry Lee by letting him use its forensic laser system in processing criminal evidence from his own Connecticut cases. The FBI has also consulted with this forensic science department due to its use of modern technology and techniques.

With New Jersey at the cutting edge of forensic science technology, it is an exciting time for those who wish to pursue forensic science jobs in the state. Becoming a forensic scientist in New Jersey requires dedication, education and experience.



Possible forensic science careers in New Jersey include, but are not limited to:

  • Microbiology Project Assistant
  • Radiochemistry Analyst
  • Laboratory Technician
  • Digital Forensic Engineer
  • DNA Examiner

Forensic Science Training in New Jersey

  • New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences – The official crime laboratories for the New Jersey State Police. There are four laboratories, plus a DNA laboratory, all of which are American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors-Lab Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) accredited. These laboratories are located in:
    • Hamilton  – Central Regional Laboratory (analyzes toxicology, arson, drugs, forensic serology and trace evidence)
    • Hamilton – DNA Laboratory (performs CODIS, mitochondrial DNA analysis, and nuclear DNA analysis)
    • Hammonton – South Regional Laboratory (analyzes arson, toxicology and drugs)
    • Sea Girt – East Regional Laboratory (analyzes arson, toxicology and drugs)
    • Little Falls – North Regional Laboratory (analyzes arson, toxicology and drugs)
    • Hamilton  – Forensic Anthropology Laboratory  (performs dental and skeletal identification)
    • Hamilton – OFS Breath Testing Unit (supports the New Jersey State Police’s breath testing and internet breath testing database)
  • Office of the New Jersey State Medical Examiner, Toxicology Laboratory – This lab, which is accredited in Forensic Urine Drug Testing by the College of American Pathologists, performs various toxicology analysis procedures for the Office of the New Jersey State Medical Examiner. It is located in Newark.
  • Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Criminalistics Division – The forensic division of this county sheriff’s office has some of the most modern equipment and techniques in the country. For this reason, it has been utilized by renowned forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee of the Connecticut State Crime Lab as well as by the FBI. The laboratory is located in Toms River.
  • Union County Prosecutor’s Office Forensic Laboratory – The main crime laboratory of the county prosecutor’s office performs analysis of biological evidence, including DNA, as well as of controlled substances and other drugs. It is located in Elizabeth.
  • – This county sheriff’s office laboratory analyzes weapons evidence, such as firearms, bullets and shell casings, for criminal cases in Essex County, New Jersey. It is located in Newark.

Some forensic scientists in New Jersey seek professional certification or membership through a specialized organization. Both certification and membership have their benefits to forensic scientists, including continuing education and networking possibilities.



Forensic Science Salary in New Jersey

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development projects the number of forensic science jobs in the state to increase by 8.8% from 2010 to 2020.  Ninety such scientists were employed in the state in 2012 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

BLS data indicates that the average salary of a forensic science technician in New Jersey was $55,430 in 2012.  Experienced professionals in the top 90th percentile earned an average of $75,770 that year.

One major source of forensic scientist jobs in New Jersey is the Office of Forensic Sciences that is part of the Investigative Branch of the State Police.  It has four labs that are located in the following cities:

  • Hamilton
  • Hammonton
  • Sea Girt

The forensic office has specialties in the following areas:



  • Breath testing
  • DNA
  • Drug analysis
  • Forensic anthropology
  • Forensic serology
  • Toxicology
  • Trace evidence

Additional specialties offered by this bureau are crime scene investigation (CSI) units for the north, south, and central parts of the state.  They are headquartered in the following cities:

  • Buena Vista
  • Hamilton
  • Totowa

CSIs in the state can be either sworn officers or civilian employees.  Salary levels differ widely depending on the level of experience of the specialist.  Indeed.com gave the average salary for a crime scene investigator in New Jersey as being $61,000 in the year leading up to October 2013.

Forensic Science Schools and Colleges in New Jersey

Bachelor’s Degree Programs in New Jersey

University Fairleigh Dickinson University, Forensic Psychology Concentration B.A.
Duration 4 years
Type Full time, Part time
Tuition and fees $34,904 per year
Program link

By taking only 42 credits of prescribed psychology courses, students are able to complete the requirements for the major and the track without exceeding the normal 128 credits required for graduation. The three additional credits beyond the 39 that are normally required for a general psychology major come from free elective credits, which are reduced from 24 to 21. If students wish to take additional psychology courses outside the track, including any of the courses recommended below, they may do so as free electives. The core modules are:

  • Psychology & the Law
  • Psychology of Criminal Behavior
  • Psychological Profiling of Homicidal Offenders
  • Child Development
  • General Psychology I and II
  • Perspectives on the Individual
  • Global Issues
  • The American Experience

Fairleigh Dickinson University is a center of academic excellence dedicated to the preparation of world citizens through global education. The University strives to provide students with the multi-disciplinary, intercultural, and ethical understandings necessary to participate, lead, and prosper in the global marketplace of ideas, commerce and culture.



FDU became the first American university to own a campus in England when it acquired Wroxton College from Trinity College, Oxford University. Opened in 1965, Wroxton College offers American students an array of graduate and undergraduate programs as well as an enriching cultural experience. Formerly a 13th-century abbey, Wroxton College is now a beautifully restored and modernized Jacobean mansion. In 2007, FDU commenced undergraduate classes at a new facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Recognizing that the student profile on most U.S. campuses is changing dramatically, the University’s Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies (originally New College of General and Continuing Studies) was formed in 1998 to provide a unified approach to and enhanced focus on the adult learner and to continue to position FDU as a leader in providing learning opportunities in a strong academic foundation for students of all ages.

University Saint Peters University, Computer Science and Crime Forensics  B.S.
Duration 4 years
Type Full time, Part time
Tuition and fees $32,170 per year
Program link

The Department of Computer and Information Sciences offers four programs (Computer Information Systems, Management Information Systems, Computer Science, and E-commerce) leading towards the Bachelor of Science degree in computer science as well as minor programs in management information systems and computer science. Students majoring in criminal justice can pursue a concentration in computer science and crime forensics. The core modules are:

  • Elementary Calculus I
  • Fund Comp Prog: Html Javascript C++
  • Advanced Programing Techniques Using C++
  • Mathematics of Finance
  • Capstone for Computer Science
  • Introduction to Criminology
  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Forensic Science
  • Intro Computers & Information Processing
  • Computer Ethics
  • Intro to Forensics Techniques
  • Cryptology

Saint Peter’s University, inspired by its Jesuit, Catholic identity, commitment to individual attention and grounding in the liberal arts, educates a diverse community of learners in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs to excel intellectually, lead ethically, serve compassionately and promote justice in our ever-changing urban and global environment.



Saint Peter’s University remains faithful to its commitment to the education mission of the Society of Jesus.  Saint Peter’s University, inspired by its Jesuit, Catholic identity, commitment to individual attention and grounding in the liberal arts, educates a diverse community of learners in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs to excel intellectually, lead ethically, serve compassionately and promote justice in our ever-changing urban and global environment. Today, President Eugene J. Cornacchia leads the University onward toward a promising future.  Saint Peter’s University is a landmark on Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City, and also offers several off-campus locations for adult undergraduate and graduate students.

University The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Forensic Investigation Concentration  B.A.
Duration 4 years
Type Full time, Part time
Tuition and fees $31,613 per year
Program link

The forensic investigation concentration is designed to give students an overview of career options in crime scene investigation, blood spatter examination, crime scene photography, fingerprint examination, ballistics, and criminal behavior. Students interested in careers in law enforcement, and the legal profession will find this unique track challenging and rewarding. The core modules are:

  • Introduction to Forensic Science
  • Criminal Procedures: Investigations or Evidence
  • Forensic Behavior Analysis
  • Advanced Forensic Science
  • Forensic Science Internship

Stockton College is committed to building a community that values differences of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, national origin, socio-economic status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, ability or disability. We accept our responsibility to create and preserve an environment that is free from prejudice and discrimination. A diverse college environment is also necessary for students to gain a greater understanding of themselves. This process of self-discovery requires that students interact in a safe, respectful and affirming environment with people–faculty and staff as well as other students–who have different life experiences than their own. This interaction teaches that people are individuals who cannot be characterized by stereotypes and overgeneralizations. Engagement with diversity prepares students to become cooperative and productive contributors to our society. Stockton values diversity and the differing perspectives it brings. Accordingly, we are unequivocally committed to implementing the principles of affirmative action in the composition of our student body, faculty and staff.

University The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Forensic Psychology Concentration  B.A.
Duration 4 years
Type Full time, Part time
Tuition and fees $31,613 per year
Program link

Forensic psychology is a burgeoning field in the social and behavioral sciences. It explores the application of the science and the profession of psychology to questions and issues relating to the law and legal systems. Research and practice in forensic psychology have been approached from a broad range of theoretical perspectives, from psychoanalytic to behavioral-genetic. Forensic psychologists explore issues ranging from the criminal mind to the origins of rules that govern the structure of societies. The core modules are:

  • Introduction to Criminal Justice
  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Theories of Criminality
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Sex Crimes
  • Personality
  • Forensic Behavior Analysis

Stockton College is committed to building a community that values differences of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, national origin, socio-economic status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, ability or disability. We accept our responsibility to create and preserve an environment that is free from prejudice and discrimination. A diverse college environment is also necessary for students to gain a greater understanding of themselves. This process of self-discovery requires that students interact in a safe, respectful and affirming environment with people–faculty and staff as well as other students–who have different life experiences than their own. This interaction teaches that people are individuals who cannot be characterized by stereotypes and overgeneralizations. Engagement with diversity prepares students to become cooperative and productive contributors to our society. Stockton values diversity and the differing perspectives it brings. Accordingly, we are unequivocally committed to implementing the principles of affirmative action in the composition of our student body, faculty and staff.

Master’s Degree Programs in New Jersey

University Fairleigh Dickinson University, Forensic Psychology M.A.
Duration 24 months
Type Full time, Part time
Tuition and fees $20,396 per year
Program link

The broad discipline of forensic science applies empirical research to the solution of crimes or the adjudication of criminals. Forensic science is quite old, dating back at least to the time of Song Chi (1186-1249) who wrote “Collected cases of injustice rectified through forensic science.”  Forensic science embraces well over 20 professional disciplines, from accounting and anthropology to toxicology and virology. Forensic psychology / psychiatry is one of those 20+ disciplines.

Forensic psychology / psychiatry is a relative newcomer, emerging in the 19th century, primarily in response to a series of cases that deeply perplexed the courts and prompted assistance from mental health professionals (exclusively psychiatrists in the early years). Historically, the criminal justice system recognized only two elements: (1) the offense, and (2) the penalty. The 19th century brought about the emergence of a third element – the offender – and with it, the need to understand the “actor.”

Today, forensic psychology is a vigorous, flourishing sub-division of the American Psychological Association. Founded in 1981, the American Psychology-Law Society (Division 41 of APA) has roughly 2,500 members. The equivalent organization for psychiatrists, the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, was founded in 1969 and has about 1,500 members. This niche of forensic science is supported internationally by 15 or more high caliber academic journals. The core modules are:

  • Statistics and Research Methods
  • Psychopathology
  • Introduction to Forensic Psychology
  • Psychological Basis of Criminal Behavior
  • Evaluating Criminal Responsibility and Competency to Stand Trial
  • Forensic Evaluation & Assessment
  • Forensic Interviewing Techniques
  • Clinical Practice in Forensic Contexts
  • Ethical Issues in Forensic Psychology
  • Externship and Proseminar
Although many forensic psychologists are academics who teach and do research, most are full-time practitioners. Forensic psychologists are, essentially, clinicians trained to conduct specialized evaluations for the courts and testify as expert witnesses. The evaluations that the courts may request vary widely, ranging from criminal responsibility, diminished capacity and competency to child custody, disability, personal injury, death penalty mitigation, malingering, and violence / dangerousness risk.Masters-level forensic psychologists will not, for the most part, be assigned to conduct these evaluations, although they may assist under the supervision a doctoral-level forensic psychologist. Masters-level forensic psychologists most frequently are employed as clinicians who conduct therapy with forensic clients, either in forensic settings (e.g.,  jails, prisons, locked forensic units in state hospitals) or in the community with probationers or parolees. Masters-level forensic psychologists are also employed to do research with a variety of justice-related agencies and organizations. As noted, masters-level forensic psychologists may also be hired by court clinics or private practitioners to assist with evaluations under the supervision of a licensed psychologist.Our program at Fairleigh Dickinson University is designed to offer our students the maximum possible exposure to the broad field of forensic psychology while at the same time streamlining a curriculum that allows students to finish in 18 months. Students are exposed through coursework to all of the aforementioned areas of forensic psychology practice. In addition, students gain invaluable clinical experience through the completion of a 300-hour externship placement, and have the option to participate in forensic research and do a thesis.

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