by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, forensic nursing was the 1,300 most popular major nationwide with 14 degrees awarded. This represents a 57.1% increase in forensic nursing degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 6.
Our 2023 Best Forensic Nursing Schools ranking analyzes 2 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for forensic nursing students. Explore this or one of our many other custom forensic nursing rankings further below.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. In addition to these basic forensic nursing program qualifications, to serve in some forensic nursing careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Forensic Nursing degree levels vary. You can get anything from a in forensic nursing to the highest forensic nursing degree, a . How long it takes to complete some common forensic nursing degree levels is shown below.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
As you might expect, salaries for forensic nursing graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
One of 22 majors within the Nursing area of study, Forensic Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 266,651 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 16,104 |
| Nursing Administration | 9,838 |
| Nursing Practice | 7,992 |
| Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 5,092 |
