Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 17,200 people employed as forensic science technicians in the United States. The median annual salary is $60,600. Entry level employees earn approximately $36,630 per year and senior employees earn approximately $100,910 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Examine physical evidence, such as hair, fiber, wood, or soil residues to obtain information about its source and composition.
• Examine firearms to determine mechanical condition and legal status, performing restoration work on damaged firearms to obtain information, such as serial numbers.
• Compare objects, such as tools, with impression marks to determine whether a specific object is responsible for a specific mark.
• Reconstruct crime scenes to determine relationships among pieces of evidence.
• Operate and maintain laboratory equipment and apparatus.
• Confer with ballistics, fingerprinting, handwriting, documents, electronics, medical, chemical, or metallurgical experts concerning evidence and its interpretation.
• Prepare solutions, reagents, or sample formulations needed for laboratory work.
• Train new technicians or other personnel on forensic science techniques.
• Use chemicals or other substances to examine latent fingerprint evidence and compare developed prints to those of known persons in databases.
• Interpret laboratory findings or test results to identify and classify substances, materials, or other evidence collected at crime scenes.
• Collect impressions of dust from surfaces to obtain and identify fingerprints.
• Review forensic analysts' reports for technical merit.
• Analyze gunshot residue and bullet paths to determine how shootings occurred.
• Identify and quantify drugs or poisons found in biological fluids or tissues, in foods, or at crime scenes.
• Determine types of bullets and specific weapons used in shootings.
• Examine and analyze blood stain patterns at crime scenes.
• Keep records and prepare reports detailing findings, investigative methods, and laboratory techniques.
• Use photographic or video equipment to document evidence or crime scenes.
• Visit morgues, examine scenes of crimes, or contact other sources to obtain evidence or information to be used in investigations.
• Collect evidence from crime scenes, storing it in conditions that preserve its integrity.
• Testify in court about investigative or analytical methods or findings.

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