19-4092

Forensic Science Technicians

Role 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.

Recommended Majors

Biology/Biological Sciences, General. Chemistry, General. Forensic Chemistry. Criminal Justice and Corrections, General. Criminalistics and Criminal Science. Forensic Science and Technology. Forensic Anthropology.

Related Careers

Agricultural and Food Science Technicians Agricultural and Food Scientists Agricultural Technicians Animal Scientists Anthropologists and Archeologists Astronomers

Salary by State (top paying)

State	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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for this career?

Projected growth and annual openings are from BLS Employment Projections. Use the sidebar for median salary and growth rate.

How does salary vary by state?

See the Salary by State table above for state-level median wages from OEWS data.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), BLS Employment Projections.

Median Annual Salary

$67,440

Projected Growth (10yr)

+12.8%

Avg. annual openings

2.9k

Market Insight

Explore salary and growth data to understand demand and earning potential for this role.