by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 4 U.S. colleges awarded 26 degrees and certificates in Forensic Nursing. College Factual ranks 1 schools in its 2027 Best Forensic Nursing Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $82,702 one year after completing, rising to $94,428 after four years.
A degree in Forensic Nursing covers A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply The Law And Forensic Science To Nursing Practice And Collaborate With Other Professionals For The Care Of Victims And The Prosecution Of Criminals. Includes Instruction In Advanced Physical Assessment, Evidence Collection And Preservation, Forensic Anthropology, Legal Testimony, Medicolegal Investigation, Pathophysiology, Pathohistology, Pharmacology, And Violence Prevention.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, forensic nursing draws strong interest, with 26 degrees awarded annually. 4 colleges award forensic nursing degrees, an average of 6 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 13.
All 26 of the awards are master’s degrees, the only level colleges reported.
Women earned 100% of forensic nursing degrees and certificates in the latest year (26 of 26). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (21) and Hispanic or Latino (2).
College Factual ranks 1 schools in its 2027 Best Forensic Nursing Schools ranking, including 1 for master’s degrees. It also ranks forensic nursing schools within 2 states. In all, 4 colleges offer forensic nursing programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Forensic Nursing Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
O*NET rates Social Perceptiveness the most important skill for jobs related to forensic nursing, at 4.1 out of 5. The key knowledge areas are Medicine and Dentistry, Psychology and English Language. The most important abilities are Problem Sensitivity, Oral Expression and Deductive Reasoning.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a forensic nursing degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 26 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to forensic nursing, at 44.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
7 occupations are related to Forensic Nursing, with an average median salary of $91,600; the strongest outlook belongs to Critical Care Nurses, at 14.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Pediatric Oncology Nurse, Psychiatric RN (Psychiatric Registered Nurse), Staff Nurse and Nurse.
The occupation related to forensic nursing with the most projected jobs is Registered Nurses, at 3,793,806.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,031,912 | 3.3% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 790,445 | 5.7% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
Forensic Nursing graduates earn a median $82,702 one year after completing their program, $94,428 after four years and $90,122 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $82,702 |
| 4 years | $94,428 |
| 5 years | $90,122 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to forensic nursing is Nurse Practitioners, with a median salary of $147,651.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,718 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
Forensic Nursing has 22 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 318,027 degrees a year; the largest are Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (263,353), Family Practice Nurse/Nursing (14,704) and Nursing Practice (9,385). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 263,353 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,704 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,385 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,806 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 5,359 |
| Nursing Science | 4,606 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 3,955 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 2,183 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,125 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 934 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
