Forensic Science Technicians

Median salary

$72,060

Average salary

$79,200

Employment

19,120

Projected growth

12.8% growth

Annual openings

2,900

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

What Forensic Science Technicians Do

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.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: 0.9%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 3 of 5

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Experience: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Law and Governmentimportance 4.5/5
Public Safety and Securityimportance 4.2/5
Education and Trainingimportance 3.7/5
English Languageimportance 3.6/5
Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.4/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.3/5
Administration and Managementimportance 3.2/5
Chemistryimportance 3.1/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

E-Mail4.8/5
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.8/5
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.7/5
Frequency of Decision Making4.7/5
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.7/5
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.5/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Surveyors95% skill match
Forest and Conservation Technicians94% skill match
Radiologists94% skill match
Physical Therapist Assistants94% skill match
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists93% skill match
Dental Hygienists93% skill match
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians93% skill match
Correctional Officers and Jailers92% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.6/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.3/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.3/5
Coordinationimportance 3.1/5
Service Orientationimportance 3.0/5
Systems Analysisimportance 3.0/5
Systems Evaluationimportance 3.0/5
Time Managementimportance 3.0/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

In-Demand Technologies

Guidance Software EnCase Enterprise

Other Software Used

Automated Biometric Identification System ABIS
Combined DNA Index System CODIS
Computer aided design and drafting CADD software
Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
DM2 Bills of Lading
DataWorks Plus Digital CrimeScene
DesignWare 3D EyeWitness
Eos Systems PhotoModeler

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Attention to Detail
Integrity
Dependability
Cautiousness
Self-Control
Stress Tolerance
Intellectual Curiosity

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

InvestigativeHigh
RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
ArtisticLow
EnterprisingLow
SocialLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where forensic science technicians make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1Charleston, WV6.21× national avg
2Tallahassee, FL5.21× national avg
3Topeka, KS4.29× national avg
4Lansing-East Lansing, MI3.94× national avg
5Roanoke, VA3.36× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

Physical Therapist AssistantsCareer Change
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthLateral Move
Dental HygienistsCareer Change
Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansCareer Change

See the full career path from Forensic Science Technicians →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.