Careers / Forensic Science Technicians
Forensic Science Technicians — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$72,060
United States, 2025
Employment
19,120
United States, 2025
Typical education
Post-Secondary Certificate
Job Zone 3
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
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.
- O*NET code
- 19-4092.00
- Job zone
- 3
- Experience required
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Typical tasks
- 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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$48,250
25th percentile
$57,830
75th percentile
$94,520
90th percentile
$117,250
Most important skills
- Speaking4.0
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Writing4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.6
- Active Learning3.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Science3.3
- Monitoring3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
- Coordination3.1
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 17 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
17
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.0 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Writing | 4.0 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.4 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.6 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Science | 3.3 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median not published
Compare with Forensic Science TechniciansSupplemental
National median $110,240
Compare with Forensic Science TechniciansSupplemental
National median $80,730
Compare with Forensic Science TechniciansSupplemental
National median $312,400
Compare with Forensic Science TechniciansSupplemental
National median $55,090
Compare with Forensic Science TechniciansHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $137,280 | 140 | 2025 |
| IL | $124,790 | 370 | 2025 |
| Chicago, IL | $112,790 | 260 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $109,930 | 330 | 2025 |
| Akron, OH | $106,330 | 80 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | $105,320 | 220 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $104,410 | 1,170 | 2025 |
| Oxnard, CA | $102,810 | 80 | 2025 |
| CA | $102,100 | 2,800 | 2025 |
| Sacramento, CA | $101,780 | 160 | 2025 |
| New Haven, CT | $98,250 | 70 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $95,460 | 230 | 2025 |
| Toledo, OH | $95,330 | 40 | 2025 |
| Lansing, MI | $88,670 | 110 | 2025 |
| Portland, OR | $87,460 | 80 | 2025 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $87,280 | 70 | 2025 |
| Denver, CO | $87,170 | 340 | 2025 |
| Albany, NY | $87,020 | 170 | 2025 |
| Topeka, KS | $86,670 | 60 | 2025 |
| CT | $85,910 | 120 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Forensic Science Technicians to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.