Forensic Science Colleges in Rhode Island

From the Rhode Island State Crime Lab to its custom-built mobile crime lab, students have many opportunities to pursue forensic science jobs in the Ocean State. Students who want to pursue a career in forensic science can start by seeking educational opportunities locally or head online to look for programs related to forensic science or crime scene investigation (CSI).

To be able to work in a crime lab and help analyze crime scene evidence, a bachelor’s degree is typically needed, according to the BLS. In an undergraduate degree program, students gain knowledge in the natural sciences, including biology and chemistry, which can help them to analyze the variety of evidence like bodily fluids, clothing fibers, and DNA, that they might encounter in a crime lab. A master’s degree in forensic science can be a particular advantage to obtaining a job in the forensic science technician field.

Another option for people who are more interested in working in the field (as opposed to in the lab) is to pursue a career as a crime scene investigator. The CSI career may be best pursued through admission to and completion of a law enforcement academy. Still, some individuals also are able to enter the field as a civilian using CSI education provided through an undergraduate program. According to the BLS, a bachelor’s degree in the natural sciences or in forensic science may be helpful to enter this field, but students also may be able to find degrees specifically in crime scene investigation or crime scene technology to help procure a job.

Forensic Science Careers and Salary Information in Rhode Island

The mean annual wages for forensic science technicians nationwide were $71,540, according to the BLS (May 2023). The BLS does not provide wage information for forensic science technicians specifically working in Rhode Island (RI), but there, as elsewhere, job opportunities could be best for those who have a master’s degree in forensic science, have expertise working with DNA, or are knowledgeable about digital computer forensics. It also may be valuable to note that the mean annual wages of forensic science technicians nationwide exceeded those for all occupations combined in the U.S., $65,740, according to the BLS (May 2023).

Nationwide job demand for forensic science technicians is expected to grow 13 percent from 2022 to 2032, according to the BLS (2023)—a rate that is over four times the average for all occupations (3 percent). The expected rate of growth for forensic science technicians could result in 2,300 new positions becoming available during that time.

How to Become a Forensic Scientist in Rhode Island

The BLS reports that a bachelor’s degree is important to obtaining entry-level work as a forensic science technician but that those with a master’s degree in the field may find the most job advantages. Indeed, with more education, graduates can begin to seek very nuanced fields of forensic science. Below we list the most common degrees pursued by those interested in forensic science.

• Step 1: A bachelor’s degree. Whether in natural science, like biology or chemistry, or in forensic science, which should combine education in both of these fields, a degree strongly based in the sciences can help students seek work in a crime lab. A bachelor’s degree takes four years to complete and should include significant hands-on learning, particularly in science labs.
• Step 2: A master’s degree (optional). This degree, which typically can take two years of full-time study to complete, can enable students to specialize in nuanced fields, such as crime scene investigation, biology, or chemistry. Again, the field is one that is interdisciplinary, so students may be required to take classes in fields other than science so that they can apply a criminal justice context to their science learning.
• Step 3: A PhD or other doctoral-level learning (optional). Students interested in becoming forensic scientists in fields like forensic pathology or forensic psychology typically need a doctoral-level education. A degree at this level may allow professionals to head up a crime lab for a law enforcement agency, take a lead role in a private lab, or teach classes at a college. Research and a dissertation could be required as part of this degree, which could take two or more years to complete, given part-time or full-time study.

There are also elements outside of an education that are important to becoming a forensic science technician or forensic scientist. The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) reports these as the ability to remain unbiased, having intellectual curiosity, and possessing personal integrity. The BLS also indicates good communication skills, the ability to be detail-oriented, and strong critical-thinking capabilities are important on the job.

Becoming a CSI in Rhode Island

Crime scene investigation is also a career that typically needs a bachelor’s degree for entry, reports the BLS. Of course, many people enter the CSI occupation by completing a law enforcement academy, but others are able to obtain employment by completing a degree and seeking employment with a law enforcement agency as a civilian employee. Below are routes for obtaining a CSI education.

• Option 1: Certificate or associate degree. Both certificates and associate degrees can be found in CSI or crime scene technology and can take one to two years, respectively, to complete. Students may take some science classes but also will learn about crime scene photography, evidence collection, and presenting evidence in court.
• Option 2: A bachelor’s degree. This degree takes four years to complete unless a student already has an associate degree and is transferring those credits into a bachelor’s degree program. At this level, students may find internship opportunities or capstone projects required as part of their degree and should be able to take numerous elective classes.
• Option 3: A law enforcement career. The truth is that many people enter the CSI field by completing a law enforcement academy and pursuing a career with a law enforcement agency in one capacity or another. The educational requirements for admission into an academy and employment on the job vary and, in some cases, could require a degree. If this is the case, undergraduate training in CSI could be an advantage to making a start in a law enforcement career.

The Forensic Enterprises, Inc. website reports that lifting and moving weight up to 100 pounds is essential on the job. Other physical requirements include kneeling, stoping, reaching, and climbing at crime scenes since each will be unique and different. Investigators need to understand a significant amount about photography, such as how lighting, distortion, and resolution can affect the ability to sufficiently document crime scenes, which is just one way formal education can be important for this career.

Rhode Island Forensics Job Opportunities

Providence is Rhode Island’s largest city with a population of more than 175,000 people, but Warwick and Cranston are also cities having significant populations each of more than 81,000 people. Larger populations relative to the rest of the state make these cities prime places to look for jobs.

Additionally, prospective forensic science technicians can look to specific organizations for jobs, such as the Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory, located in Kingston, R.I. (with a population of just over 6,000). The crime lab provides a range of scientific evidence services related to local, state, or federal crimes, including services related to firearms, trace evidence, and latent prints. The lab also hosts continuing education classes throughout the year for forensic professionals. Other places to look for jobs in the state include the:

• State of Rhode Island Department of Public Safety
• Rhode Island State Police
• Warwick Police Department
• North Kingstown Police Department

Keep in mind that 86 percent of forensic science technicians are employed by local or state governments, according to the BLS. Agencies at these levels could provide some of the best job opportunities, although private institutions, either within Rhode Island or in other states could also be sources for job leads.

Program Accreditation & Certification

Programmatic accreditation through the AAFS, founded in 1948, can be important when seeking a job, but not all forensic science programs across the U.S. have accreditation through its Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission, or FEPAC.

For example, accreditation requires, among many other facets, that 50 percent of full-time forensic science staff have a doctoral degree and that the program has at least one relationship with a forensic science lab. Programs that have not earned FEPAC accreditation can still provide a reputable education. In fact, FEPAC only accredits those programs that focus heavily on sciences, meaning many CSI and criminal justice programs would not even be eligible to apply. Still, students should be sure to investigate a school’s institutional accreditation more thoroughly if it lacks programmatic accreditation.

While none of the schools in Rhode Island have FEPAC accreditation, they may have regional institutional accreditation through the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which is another way of assuring students of a quality education when it comes to their learning.

Another way to prove your forensic science skills is to seek certification. At upper-education levels, this is known as board certification, and it could be available through organizations such as the American Board of Forensic Anthropology (ABFA) or the American Board of Forensic Odontology (ABFO).

Graduates could also seek certification through the International Association for Identification (IAI) or the International Crime Scene Investigators Association (ICSIA), both of which offer numerous certifications particularly related to CSI.

Those who wish to have detailed information on credentialing within each subfield of forensics can visit our programs or careers pages.

Students also may wish to become members of a forensic science organization, which could provide opportunities to attend conferences, receive continuing education, or network with others. Some of these include the:

• American Academy of Forensic Scientists (AAFS)
• American Society of Questioned Document Examiners (ASQDE)
• American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science – Central New England (ASCLS-CNE)
• Northeastern Society of Forensic Scientists (NSFS)

Additionally, there may be a forensic science club or organization at the school that you attend, a forensic science honors society, or even other opportunities to become involved in forensic science in your community, any of which could lead to networking and job leads when it comes time to look for employment.