Forensic Science Technicians Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for forensic science technicians in the U.S. is $72,060 ($34.65 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $72,060
- Mean annual wage
- $79,200
- Median hourly wage
- $34.65
- Employment
- 19,120
19,120 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| 25th percentile | $57,830 | $27.81 |
| Median (50th) | $72,060 | $34.65 |
| 75th percentile | $94,520 | $45.44 |
| 90th percentile | $117,250 | $56.37 |
Highest-paying states for forensic science technicians
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $124,790 | 370 |
| California | $102,100 | 2,800 |
| Connecticut | $85,910 | 120 |
| Colorado | $84,010 | 510 |
| Montana | $82,200 | 60 |
| Maryland | $82,140 | 460 |
| New York | $81,670 | 1,140 |
| Washington | $81,310 | 390 |
| Nevada | $81,090 | 360 |
| Oregon | $80,950 | 110 |
Lowest-paying states
- Arkansas: $44,670 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $51,690 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $51,830 median annual wage
- Wyoming: $52,100 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $52,850 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Measure and sketch crime scenes to document evidence.
- Reconstruct crime scenes to determine relationships among pieces of evidence.
- Examine physical evidence, such as hair, biological fluids, fiber, wood, or soil residues to obtain information about its source and composition.
- Visit morgues, examine scenes of crimes, or contact other sources to obtain evidence or information to be used in investigations.
- Analyze data from computers or other digital media sources for evidence related to criminal activity.
- Train new technicians or other personnel on forensic science techniques.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 3.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 15.3% |
| Some college, no degree | 19.9% |
| Associate's degree | 13.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 32.1% |
| Master's degree | 11.5% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 4.4% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$90,150
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,220
- Chemists$91,240
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$100,580
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$62,280
- Biological Technicians$57,510
- School Psychologists$95,990
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.