Thinking about a career in forensic science? Forensics has fulfilling jobs at each education level, making it accessible for many learners. This is great news for the industry, as the need for forensic science technicians is expected to grow by 11.4% over the next decade, faster than average.
This job typically requires a bachelor’s degree for entry, but this requirement varies based on the lab and the specialty.
Forensic Science Technicians
National data
Median Salary: $63,740
Projected job growth: 11.4%
10th Percentile: $39,710
25th Percentile: $49,320
75th Percentile: $82,160
90th Percentile: $104,330
Projected job growth: 11.4%
State data
State
Median Salary
Bottom 10%
Top 10%
Alabama
$53,610
$37,970
$68,810
Alaska
$65,120
$47,960
$98,110
Arizona
$62,760
$40,760
$103,620
Arkansas
$46,500
$34,900
$52,420
California
$85,490
$54,230
$132,320
Colorado
$74,060
$54,710
$101,050
Connecticut
$81,450
$47,250
$100,150
Florida
$59,090
$37,520
$80,440
Georgia
$47,980
$36,460
$69,100
Idaho
$52,810
$38,300
$81,830
Illinois
$107,520
$59,380
$107,520
Indiana
$58,300
$37,490
$79,920
Iowa
$65,690
$53,390
$93,370
Kansas
$62,390
$46,090
$93,640
Kentucky
$52,460
$41,250
$67,140
Louisiana
$50,920
$37,870
$86,840
Maine
$61,830
$40,310
$74,730
Maryland
$65,480
$47,080
$104,310
Massachusetts
$80,910
$60,240
$122,860
Michigan
$57,490
$26,030
$95,120
Minnesota
$79,210
$47,900
$99,780
Mississippi
$51,630
$31,510
$67,330
Missouri
$52,240
$32,350
$80,620
Montana
$62,860
$49,890
$80,060
Nebraska
$61,300
$34,770
$75,170
Nevada
$64,980
$45,540
$104,400
New Hampshire
$75,070
$55,850
$89,320
New Jersey
$61,620
$48,150
$77,780
New Mexico
$54,050
$29,820
$80,870
New York
$79,140
$62,510
$104,330
North Carolina
$47,370
$38,720
$64,030
Ohio
$63,620
$48,350
$100,960
Oklahoma
$67,120
$38,820
$100,330
Oregon
$104,470
$61,270
$109,930
Pennsylvania
$49,910
$35,680
$83,090
South Carolina
$48,590
$36,310
$65,890
Tennessee
$60,540
$39,380
$83,480
Texas
$56,970
$38,400
$80,640
Utah
$53,560
$41,390
$73,200
Virginia
$68,310
$42,310
$102,660
Washington
$77,170
$50,250
$99,180
West Virginia
$48,840
$34,710
$66,990
Wisconsin
$59,400
$38,730
$90,220
Wyoming
$57,790
$41,900
$79,640
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2022 median salary; projected job growth through 2031. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.
Is the forensics job I’m looking at technically a “Forensic science technician”?
It’s very possible, particularly if the education required is at the bachelor level. The BLS classifies a great number of forensics jobs under “forensic science technician”:
Top 15 metro areas for forensic science technicians
Forensic science technician salaries vary with metropolitan areas as well. Usually because of factors like demand and cost of living, the salaries in cities can be a little higher than the surrounding areas.
Metro Area
Median Annual Salary
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$104,860
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$99,100
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$98,820
Akron, OH
$95,930
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
$95,560
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
$88,480
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
$88,460
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$83,930
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA
$82,890
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
$82,220
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
$82,170
Missoula, MT
$80,060
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$79,550
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$79,210
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
$79,140
What benefits can forensic scientists expect?
The field of forensic science generally offers a typical benefits package, including paid time off, sick time, holidays, health insurance, life insurance, and more. They also usually include retirement planning benefits like 401K matches. 62% of forensic science technician positions are with local governments according to the BLS, meaning these positions are often city employees with city employee benefits. Each local government varies in what it offers, but knowing where you intend to apply can help you look up benefits that might be accessible with the position.
Other forensic science jobs and their salaries
Some specialized forensic jobs can be classified by the BLS under a different job than forensic science technician. These titles include forensic chemists, forensic psychologists, medical examiners (pathologists), and more.
