Forensic Science Technicians Salary
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations · 19K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$72,060
Median hourly
$35
Average annual
$79,200
Typical range
$48,250–$117,250
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Forensic Science Technicians is $72,060 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $35 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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.
Most earn between $48,250 and $117,250 a year. There are roughly 19K people employed as forensic science technicians in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Forensic Science Technicians.
- Hourly
- $34.64
- Daily
- $277
- Weekly
- $1,386
- Bi-weekly
- $2,772
- Monthly
- $6,005
- Annual
- $72,060
$72,060 a year is around the 50th percentile for Forensic Science Technicianss. The median is $72,060.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Illinois$124,790
- 2California$102,100
- 3Connecticut$85,910
- 4Colorado$84,010
- 5Montana$82,200
- 6Maryland$82,140
- 7New York$81,670
- 8Washington$81,310
- 9Nevada$81,090
- 10Oregon$80,950
- 11Massachusetts$79,320
- 12Minnesota$76,960
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$137,280
- 2Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$112,790
- 3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$109,930
- 4Akron, OH$106,330
- 5San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$105,320
- 6Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$104,410
- 7Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$102,810
- 8Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$101,780
- 9New Haven, CT$98,250
- 10Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$95,460
- 11Toledo, OH$95,330
- 12Lansing-East Lansing, MI$88,670
Related job titles
Employers advertise Forensic Science Technicians roles under these titles.
- Ballistician
- Ballistics Technician (Ballistics Tech)
- Blood Splatter Analyst
- Computer Forensics Technician (Computer Forensics Tech)
- Crime Lab Technician (Crime Laboratory Technician)
- Crime Scene Analyst (CSA)
- Crime Specialist
- Criminalist Technician (Criminalist Tech)
- Criminologist
- CSI (Crime Scene Investigator)
- DNA Analyst (Deoxyribonucleic Acid Analyst)
- DNA Examiner (Deoxyribonucleic Acid Examiner)
- DNA Tech (Deoxyribonucleic Acid Technician)
- Evidence Specialist
- Firearms Examiner
- Firearms Specialist
Related occupations
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators$93,790
- Computer Occupations, All Other$116,580
- Compliance Officers$80,730
- Financial Specialists, All Other$81,100
- Private Detectives and Investigators$51,220
- Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$55,090
- Nuclear Technicians$110,240
- Microbiologists$87,990
What a Forensic Science Technicians does
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Forensic Science Technicians make?
- The median annual wage for Forensic Science Technicians is $72,060 ($35 per hour). Pay ranges from about $48,250 at the 10th percentile to $117,250 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Forensic Science Technicians?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $79,200, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Forensic Science Technicianss the most?
- Illinois has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $124,790.
- Is Forensic Science Technicians a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 19K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Forensic Science Technicians do?
- 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..