Forensic Science Technicians: Career Overview
Collect, identify, classify, and analyze physical evidence related to criminal investigations. Perform tests on weapons or substances, such as fiber, hair, and tissue to determine significance to investigation. May testify as expert witnesses on evidence or crime laboratory techniques. May serve as specialists in area of expertise, such as ballistics, fingerprinting, handwriting, or biochemistry.
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What Do Forensic Science Technicians Do?
Typical responsibilities of forensic science technicians include:
- Collect evidence from crime scenes, storing it in conditions that preserve its integrity.
- Keep records and prepare reports detailing findings, investigative methods, and laboratory techniques.
- Use photographic or video equipment to document evidence or crime scenes.
- Testify in court about investigative or analytical methods or findings.
- Use chemicals or other substances to examine latent fingerprint evidence and compare developed prints to those of known persons in databases.
- Measure and sketch crime scenes to document evidence.
- Visit morgues, examine scenes of crimes, or contact other sources to obtain evidence or information to be used in investigations.
- Train new technicians or other personnel on forensic science techniques.
What Forensic Science Technicians Need to Know
Successful forensic science technicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Forensic Science Technicians Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Ballistician
- Ballistics Technician (Ballistics Tech)
- Biometric Fingerprint Technician (Biometric Fingerprint Tech)
- Biometric Fingerprinting Technician (Biometric Fingerprinting Tech)
- Biometrician
- Blood Splatter Analyst
- CSI (Crime Scene Investigator)
- Computer Forensics Technician (Computer Forensics Tech)
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 30,311 forensic science technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +9.3% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Forensic Science Technicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $85,117 |
| Hourly median | $40.92 |
| 10th percentile | $58,796 |
| 25th percentile | $71,956 |
| 75th percentile | $98,278 |
| 90th percentile | $111,438 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Forensic Science Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Illinois | $117,590 |
| California | $96,850 |
| Connecticut | $84,920 |
| Montana | $78,610 |
| Maryland | $78,220 |
| New York | $78,170 |
| Oregon | $78,100 |
| Colorado | $77,800 |
| Washington | $77,650 |
| Nevada | $76,540 |
| Massachusetts | $75,210 |
| Kansas | $75,150 |
| North Dakota | $74,470 |
| Ohio | $73,310 |
| Tennessee | $70,500 |
| Michigan | $69,040 |
| Minnesota | $68,790 |
| Maine | $68,710 |
| Vermont | $67,750 |
| Indiana | $65,770 |
| Oklahoma | $64,990 |
| Missouri | $64,700 |
| Utah | $64,430 |
| Iowa | $63,650 |
| Nebraska | $63,390 |
| Virginia | $62,860 |
| Wisconsin | $61,920 |
| New Mexico | $61,890 |
| Florida | $61,070 |
| Wyoming | $60,670 |
| Arizona | $60,620 |
| Idaho | $60,470 |
| West Virginia | $59,930 |
| Alabama | $59,560 |
| Georgia | $58,500 |
| Kentucky | $58,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,820 |
| Texas | $55,830 |
| Mississippi | $54,720 |
| New Jersey | $54,230 |
| North Carolina | $50,460 |
| South Carolina | $49,960 |
| South Dakota | $49,280 |
| Arkansas | $46,210 |
Where Forensic Science Technicians Earn the Most
Pay for forensic science technicians differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $92,908 | 20.4% | 1.31 |
| Great Lakes | $77,285 | 11.2% | 0.85 |
| New England | $76,868 | 2.4% | 0.59 |
| Middle Atlantic | $73,154 | 10.6% | 0.89 |
| Rocky Mountains | $70,667 | 4.8% | 1.22 |
| Plains States | $67,007 | 4.7% | 0.78 |
| Southwest | $57,853 | 16.7% | 1.46 |
| Southeast | $57,110 | 29.1% | 1.41 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $131,390 | 150 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $103,930 | 410 |
| Akron, OH | OH | $102,230 | 80 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $100,800 | 230 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $99,670 | 270 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $98,110 | 1,210 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | CA | $97,040 | 90 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $96,770 | 150 |
Top Industries Employing Forensic Science Technicians
The bulk of forensic science technicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,260 | $67,440 |
| Educational Services | 380 | $49,980 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 340 | $51,080 |
| Finance and Insurance | 80 | n/a |
Forensic Science Technicians work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: Guidance Software EnCase Enterprise (in demand)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of forensic science technicians reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Getting Started in This Career
Typical forensic science technicians positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Coroners (Primary-Short)
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts (Primary-Long)
- Penetration Testers (Supplemental)
- Digital Forensics Analysts (Primary-Short)
- Data Scientists (Supplemental)
- Microbiologists (Supplemental)
- Biological Technicians (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future forensic science technicians commonly pursue programs in:
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
3 programs across 2 majors
Physical Sciences
2 programs across 1 majors
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Social Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-4092.00 (Forensic Science Technicians).
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