Forensic Science Technicians
Forensic Science Technicians (SOC 19-4092) earn a median $72,060 a year ($34.65 an hour) in the United States, with 19,120 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Illinois.
What forensic science technicians do
Forensic science technicians collect, identify, classify, and analyze physical evidence connected with criminal investigations. Some work at crime scenes, photographing and gathering fingerprints, fibers, hair, tissue, weapons, and other evidence and storing it so that it stays intact. Others work in crime laboratories, performing tests on weapons or substances such as fiber, hair, and tissue to find out what they mean for the investigation. Typical tasks include collecting evidence and preserving its integrity, using photographic or video equipment to document evidence or crime scenes, keeping records and preparing reports on findings and methods, and testifying in court about investigative or analytical methods and results. The occupation differs from police detectives, who lead investigations and make arrests. Measuring and sketching crime scenes, examining latent fingerprint evidence, and training new technicians are further tasks, and some technicians serve as specialists in areas such as ballistics, fingerprinting, handwriting, or biochemistry.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a postsecondary certificate.
Also called: Ballistician, Ballistics Technician (Ballistics Tech), Biometrician, Blood Splatter Analyst, Crime Analyst.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $23.20 | $27.81 | $34.65 | $45.44 | $56.37 | $38.08 | 19,120 |
| Annual | $48,250 | $57,830 | $72,060 | $94,520 | $117,250 | $79,200 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where forensic science technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $31.63 | $38.07 | $60.00 | $62.30 | $71.53 | $52.29 | 370 | 0.06 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $65,780 | $79,190 | $124,790 | $129,590 | $148,790 | $108,760 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $31.08 | $38.85 | $49.09 | $63.85 | $71.20 | $50.46 | 2,800 | 0.15 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $64,650 | $80,810 | $102,100 | $132,810 | $148,090 | $104,960 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $19.95 | $31.80 | $41.30 | $50.38 | $53.64 | $40.07 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $41,500 | $66,150 | $85,910 | $104,800 | $111,560 | $83,340 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $30.33 | $34.54 | $40.39 | $50.65 | $54.85 | $42.98 | 510 | 0.18 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $63,080 | $71,850 | $84,010 | $105,350 | $114,100 | $89,400 | ||||
| Montana | Hourly | $26.75 | $29.63 | $39.52 | $39.52 | $50.20 | $37.25 | 60 | 0.12 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $55,640 | $61,630 | $82,200 | $82,200 | $104,410 | $77,470 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $31.08 | $38.85 | $49.09 | $63.85 | $71.20 | $50.46 | 2,800 | 0.15 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $64,650 | $80,810 | $102,100 | $132,810 | $148,090 | $104,960 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $21.29 | $25.01 | $30.84 | $38.75 | $45.13 | $32.40 | 1,920 | 0.19 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $44,280 | $52,010 | $64,140 | $80,600 | $93,870 | $67,390 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $20.40 | $23.78 | $28.79 | $33.71 | $39.73 | $29.58 | 1,900 | 0.14 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $42,430 | $49,460 | $59,870 | $70,130 | $82,640 | $61,530 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $30.75 | $31.25 | $39.27 | $48.23 | $50.92 | $40.41 | 1,140 | 0.12 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $63,970 | $64,990 | $81,670 | $100,310 | $105,920 | $84,050 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $23.61 | $24.87 | $30.41 | $40.67 | $52.81 | $34.68 | 900 | 0.28 | 2.25 |
| Annual | $49,110 | $51,730 | $63,250 | $84,600 | $109,850 | $72,120 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $48.47 | $49.43 | $66.00 | $77.93 | $77.93 | $63.80 | 140 | 0.12 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $100,810 | $102,820 | $137,280 | $162,090 | $162,090 | $132,690 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $31.63 | $36.06 | $54.23 | $62.30 | $71.53 | $50.82 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $65,780 | $75,000 | $112,790 | $129,590 | $148,790 | $105,710 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $42.03 | $48.65 | $52.85 | $77.15 | $84.75 | $61.33 | 330 | 0.14 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $87,410 | $101,190 | $109,930 | $160,470 | $176,280 | $127,560 | ||||
| Akron, OH | Hourly | $28.17 | $31.74 | $51.12 | $52.34 | $54.07 | $45.69 | 80 | 0.24 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $58,590 | $66,020 | $106,330 | $108,870 | $112,470 | $95,040 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $32.72 | $40.36 | $50.63 | $65.06 | $67.95 | $50.21 | 220 | 0.14 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $68,060 | $83,940 | $105,320 | $135,330 | $141,340 | $104,440 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $30.24 | $38.85 | $50.20 | $64.63 | $68.34 | $51.45 | 1,170 | 0.19 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $62,890 | $80,810 | $104,410 | $134,420 | $142,150 | $107,010 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $30.75 | $30.91 | $39.27 | $48.23 | $50.92 | $40.95 | 800 | 0.09 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $63,970 | $64,300 | $81,670 | $100,310 | $105,920 | $85,170 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $23.84 | $31.80 | $40.90 | $52.85 | $63.85 | $44.34 | 660 | 0.21 | 1.71 |
| Annual | $49,600 | $66,140 | $85,070 | $109,920 | $132,820 | $92,220 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $24.80 | $27.25 | $31.36 | $41.64 | $52.81 | $36.11 | 620 | 0.26 | 2.11 |
| Annual | $51,580 | $56,680 | $65,220 | $86,610 | $109,850 | $75,120 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $19.86 | $23.59 | $27.49 | $33.71 | $40.27 | $29.48 | 590 | 0.15 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $41,300 | $49,060 | $57,180 | $70,130 | $83,770 | $61,330 | ||||
Top industries employing forensic science technicians
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 66.0% of forensic science technicians nationally (12,610 jobs) at a median $70,050 a year ($33.68 an hour), followed by State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (26.2%) and Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (1.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 12,610 | 66.0% | $70,050 | $33.68 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 5,000 | 26.2% | $74,740 | $35.94 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 360 | 1.9% | $49,600 | $23.84 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories NAICS 621500 | 330 | 1.7% | $44,770 | $21.53 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 250 | 1.3% | $62,250 | $29.93 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (19,120). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $61,930 for forensic science technicians in May 2021 and $72,060 in May 2025, with employment of 17,020 and 19,120.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $61,930 | $29.78 | 17,020 |
| May 2022 | $63,740 | $30.64 | 17,590 |
| May 2023 | $64,940 | $31.22 | 17,520 |
| May 2024 | $67,440 | $32.42 | 19,450 |
| May 2025 | $72,060 | $34.65 | 19,120 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
44 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois profile | $60.00 | $124,790 | $65,780 | $148,790 | 370 | 0.06 | 0.49 |
| 2 | California profile | $49.09 | $102,100 | $64,650 | $148,090 | 2,800 | 0.15 | 1.25 |
| 3 | Connecticut profile | $41.30 | $85,910 | $41,500 | $111,560 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.59 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $40.39 | $84,010 | $63,080 | $114,100 | 510 | 0.18 | 1.46 |
| 5 | Montana profile | $39.52 | $82,200 | $55,640 | $104,410 | 60 | 0.12 | 0.95 |
| 6 | Maryland profile | $39.49 | $82,140 | $59,730 | $130,000 | 460 | 0.17 | 1.36 |
| 7 | New York profile | $39.27 | $81,670 | $63,970 | $105,920 | 1,140 | 0.12 | 0.96 |
| 8 | Washington profile | $39.09 | $81,310 | $61,290 | $108,300 | 390 | 0.11 | 0.89 |
| 9 | Nevada profile | $38.99 | $81,090 | $58,120 | $135,490 | 360 | 0.23 | 1.91 |
| 10 | Oregon profile | $38.92 | $80,950 | $58,210 | $135,010 | 110 | 0.05 | 0.44 |
| 11 | Massachusetts profile | $38.14 | $79,320 | $64,520 | $120,000 | 290 | 0.08 | 0.65 |
| 12 | Minnesota profile | $37.00 | $76,960 | $58,660 | $107,170 | 140 | 0.05 | 0.37 |
| 13 | Vermont profile | $35.63 | $74,110 | $58,480 | $98,880 | 30 | 0.11 | 0.87 |
| 14 | Wisconsin profile | $34.75 | $72,280 | $53,840 | $100,640 | 310 | 0.11 | 0.85 |
| 15 | Idaho profile | $34.21 | $71,160 | $50,040 | $117,430 | 160 | 0.19 | 1.51 |
| 16 | North Dakota profile | $34.18 | $71,090 | $59,170 | $102,160 | 40 | 0.08 | 0.67 |
| 17 | Maine profile | $34.07 | $70,870 | $44,260 | $84,050 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.46 |
| 18 | Tennessee profile | $33.90 | $70,500 | $47,730 | $120,140 | 300 | 0.09 | 0.73 |
| 19 | Virginia profile | $33.12 | $68,900 | $49,390 | $125,740 | 770 | 0.19 | 1.52 |
| 20 | Iowa profile | $32.24 | $67,060 | $35,960 | $100,130 | 130 | 0.08 | 0.66 |
| 21 | Utah profile | $32.11 | $66,780 | $48,410 | $94,490 | 220 | 0.13 | 1.03 |
| 22 | Indiana profile | $31.98 | $66,520 | $49,990 | $92,450 | 320 | 0.10 | 0.81 |
| 23 | Oklahoma profile | $31.70 | $65,940 | $43,990 | $99,980 | 110 | 0.06 | 0.50 |
| 24 | Nebraska profile | $31.69 | $65,920 | $46,500 | $81,850 | 150 | 0.14 | 1.16 |
| 25 | New Mexico profile | $31.52 | $65,570 | $47,120 | $103,270 | 200 | 0.23 | 1.84 |
| 26 | Florida profile | $30.84 | $64,140 | $44,280 | $93,870 | 1,920 | 0.19 | 1.57 |
| 27 | Georgia profile | $30.58 | $63,600 | $46,490 | $89,600 | 550 | 0.11 | 0.92 |
| 28 | West Virginia profile | $30.45 | $63,330 | $41,990 | $83,950 | 110 | 0.15 | 1.23 |
| 29 | Arizona profile | $30.41 | $63,250 | $49,110 | $109,850 | 900 | 0.28 | 2.25 |
| 30 | New Jersey profile | $30.39 | $63,220 | $45,550 | $84,030 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.11 |
| 31 | Missouri profile | $30.17 | $62,750 | $45,940 | $92,350 | 350 | 0.12 | 0.96 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania profile | $29.60 | $61,580 | $47,740 | $94,520 | 360 | 0.06 | 0.49 |
| 33 | Kentucky profile | $29.56 | $61,470 | $48,470 | $74,710 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.25 |
| 34 | Texas profile | $28.79 | $59,870 | $42,430 | $82,640 | 1,900 | 0.14 | 1.10 |
| 35 | Alabama profile | $28.64 | $59,560 | $39,300 | $88,510 | 160 | 0.08 | 0.61 |
| 36 | North Carolina profile | $28.48 | $59,240 | $45,950 | $81,760 | 520 | 0.11 | 0.86 |
| 37 | Mississippi profile | $25.41 | $52,850 | $36,820 | $84,260 | 140 | 0.12 | 0.99 |
| 38 | Wyoming profile | $25.05 | $52,100 | $41,600 | $79,610 | 90 | 0.31 | 2.51 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | $24.92 | $51,830 | $39,990 | $73,490 | 160 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| 40 | South Dakota profile | $24.85 | $51,690 | $26,450 | $72,510 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.58 |
| 41 | Arkansas profile | $21.48 | $44,670 | $38,470 | $66,440 | 100 | 0.08 | 0.65 |
| – | Louisiana profile | * | * | * | * | 240 | 0.12 | 0.99 |
| – | Michigan profile | * | * | * | * | 650 | 0.15 | 1.21 |
| – | Ohio profile | * | * | * | * | 470 | 0.09 | 0.69 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (19-4090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-4092 Forensic Science Technicians.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-4092, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-4092.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.