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Crime scene investigators are also known as forensic science technicians because they use scientific methods to analyze physical evidence. They work out of laboratories, but must often travel to crime scenes at different locations. They typically work shifts that include day, evening or night, and overtime, because crime can occur 24 hours a day.

Description

Crime scene investigators determine the who, what, how and where of a crime by collecting and examining physical evidence such as bullets, fingerprints and bodily fluids. They first walk through the scene to determine what evidence is available and how to collect it. They may then take photographs, draw sketches or write notes about their observations. They use tools such as tweezers, black lights and kits as part of their methods. Once in the lab, they run tests on their collections and explore relationships between the results, suspects and criminal activity. They often consult with experts in law enforcement and forensic specialties, such as toxicology.

Qualifications

Though requirements vary by employer and specialty, crime scene investigators need a bachelor's degree in forensic science, biology or chemistry. Some are sworn police officers. Important qualities include critical thinking for matching physical evidence, composure for observing gruesome crime scenes, attention to detail for noticing every aspect of evidence, and good communications skills for relating their findings. Investigators need extensive on-the-job training, which can last up to three years. Newly hired employees are apprenticed to more experienced workers before they can work on cases independently.

Crime scene investigators averaged $24.19 per hour or $50,310 per year as of May 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over half of all crime scene investigators worked in local governments, which included municipal police departments and county coroner offices. For crime scene investigators employed by local governments, average salaries ran $24.60 per hour or $51,160 per year. The highest salaries were in the federal government, at an average of $40.37 per hour or $83,970 per year. The top-paying state for the profession was Connecticut, with mean wages of $32.38 per hour or $67,360 per year. For cities, Boston offered the best mean wages, at $33.79 per hour or $70,290 per year.

Forensic science technicians can look forward to employment increases of 19 percent from 2010 to 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is somewhat better than the 14 percent predicted across all occupations, and considerably higher than the 11 percent forecast for life, physical and social science technicians generally. Competition for jobs will be strong because the media portrays the profession as glamorous and exciting. The best opportunities will be for those with experience or with an undergraduate degree in forensic science. Job openings will depend on federal, state and local budgets for law enforcement.

Photo Credits

Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images

About the Author

Aurelio Locsin has been writing professionally since 1982. He published his first book in 1996 and is a frequent contributor to many online publications, specializing in consumer, business and technical topics. Locsin holds a Bachelor of Arts in scientific and technical communications from the University of Washington.

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Crime Scene Investigator Facts. Crime scene investigators are also known as forensic science technicians because they use scientific methods to analyze physical evidence. They work out of laboratories, but must often travel to crime scenes at different locations. They typically work shifts that include day, evening or ...

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Summary

Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0avxorvSOM.

Quick Facts: Forensic Science Technicians
2023 Median Pay

$64,940 per year
$31.22 per hour

Forensic science technicians aid criminal investigations by collecting and analyzing evidence.

Most laboratory forensic science technicians work during standard business hours. Some work extended or nonstandard hours and travel to crime scenes within their jurisdiction.

Forensic science technicians typically need a bachelor's degree to enter the occupation. They may need on-the-job training to attain competency.

The median annual wage for forensic science technicians was $64,940 in May 2023.

Employment of forensic science technicians is projected to grow 13 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 2,600 openings for forensic science technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for forensic science technicians.

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of forensic science technicians with similar occupations.

Learn more about forensic science technicians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Forensic Science Technicians Do About this section

Forensic science technicians aid criminal investigations by collecting and analyzing evidence. Technicians often specialize in either crime scene or laboratory analysis.

Duties

Forensic science technicians work at crime scenes or in laboratories. At crime scenes, forensic science technicians typically do the following:

Analyze crime scenes to determine what evidence should be collected and how

Take photographs and make sketches of the crime scene

Record observations and findings, such as the location and position of evidence

Collect evidence, including weapons, fingerprints, and bodily fluids

Catalog and preserve evidence for transfer to crime labs

Reconstruct crime scenes

In laboratories, forensic science technicians typically do the following:

Perform chemical, biological, and microscopic analyses on evidence taken from crime scenes

Examine results of DNA analyses of biological substances, such as hair and skin cells, and other evidence for their significance to investigations

Consult with experts in specialized fields, such as toxicology (the study of poisons and their effect on the body) and odontology (a branch of forensic medicine that concentrates on teeth)

Prepare technical reports, including statistical analyses of forensic evidence

Operate, maintain, and clean laboratory facilities and equipment

Many forensic science technicians do most or all of the duties described above. Others may specialize in certain techniques and sciences. For example, a technician who specializes in ballistics evidence may compare spent cartridge cases collected at a crime scene with digital images in a national database, referring potential matches to a forensic scientist for confirmation.

Forensic science technicians who collect and store evidence from the scene of a crime are sometimes called crime scene technicians. They photograph and document the scene and search for fingerprints or DNA evidence. They must take care to store evidence in a way that preserves its integrity and are responsible for the evidence chain of custody.

Forensic science technicians who work primarily in laboratories use chemicals and equipment, such as microscopes, to analyze evidence. They also may use computers to examine DNA and other evidence collected at crime scenes and match that evidence to people or other known elements, such as vehicles or weapons. These forensic science technicians also organize and monitor the laboratory.

Regardless of their usual work environment, forensic science technicians prepare written reports of their findings and investigative methods. They must be able to explain details from their reports to lawyers, detectives, and other law enforcement officials. In addition, forensic science technicians may be called to testify in court about their findings and methods.

Other workers who analyze crime scenes and criminal evidence include police and detectives and digital forensics analysts.

Forensic science technicians held about 18,500 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of forensic science technicians were as follows:

Local government, excluding education and hospitals

60%

State government, excluding education and hospitals

26

Testing laboratories

3

Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private

2

Medical and diagnostic laboratories

2

Forensic science technicians may spend some time in an office setting. Some have to work outside in all types of weather, and others may spend many hours in laboratories.

Crime scene technicians may travel throughout their jurisdictions.

Work Schedules

Most forensic science technicians work full time. Crime scene technicians may work staggered day, evening, or night shifts and may have to work overtime because someone must be available at all times to collect or analyze evidence. Technicians working in laboratories may work a standard workweek, although they might have to be on call outside of normal business hours if they are needed to work immediately on a case.

How to Become a Forensic Science Technician About this section

Forensic science technicians typically need a bachelor's degree to enter the occupation. They may need on-the-job training to attain competency.

Education

Forensic science technicians typically need at least a bachelor's degree to enter the occupation. An associate's degree may be sufficient for some positions. Fields of study may include physical science, biology, or forensic science. Forensic science programs may specialize in a specific area of study, such as toxicology, pathology, or DNA. A list of schools that offer degrees in forensic science is available from the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Some crime scene investigators who work for police departments are sworn police officers and have met the educational requirements necessary for admittance into a police academy. For more information on police officers, see the profile on police and detectives.

Training

Forensic science technicians receive on-the-job training before they are ready to work on cases independently.

Newly hired crime scene technicians may be supervised by experienced workers, who instruct them in procedures for collecting and documenting evidence.

Forensic science technicians learn laboratory specialties on the job. The length of this training varies by specialty but is usually less than a year.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

A range of licenses and certifications is available to forensic science technicians. These credentials typically are not required to enter the occupation but may demonstrate that candidates have a specific skill. For example, the International Association for Identification offers optional crime scene analyst certification.

To perform independent casework, technicians may need to pass a proficiency exam through their state government or otherwise be approved by a laboratory or accrediting body. Proficiency exams may test reading and writing comprehension, laboratory science topics, and pattern recognition skills.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Forensic science technicians must be able to evaluate evidence gathered at the scene of a crime and draw conclusions about what happened.

Communication skills. Forensic science technicians write reports and testify in court. They also must be able to convey details about their analyses to law enforcement officials and other specialists.

Detail oriented. Forensic science technicians must be precise in describing or recording specific features of evidence.

Math skills. Forensic science technicians need a solid understanding of statistics to be able to apply data when interpreting evidence.

Problem-solving skills. Forensic science technicians must be able to use scientific tests and methods to help law enforcement officials solve crimes.

Median annual wages, May 2023

The median annual wage for forensic science technicians was $64,940 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $41,410, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $107,490.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for forensic science technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Local government, excluding education and hospitals

$65,540

State government, excluding education and hospitals

65,500

Testing laboratories

64,170

Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private

50,970

Medical and diagnostic laboratories

46,460

Most forensic science technicians work full time. Crime scene technicians may work staggered day, evening, or night shifts and may have to work overtime because someone must be available at all times to collect or analyze evidence. Technicians working in laboratories may work a standard workweek, although they might have to be on call outside of normal business hours if they are needed to work immediately on a case.

Employment of forensic science technicians is projected to grow 13 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 2,600 openings for forensic science technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

State and local governments are expected to continue to hire forensic science technicians to process their high caseloads. Additionally, scientific and technological advances are expected to increase the availability, reliability, and usefulness of objective forensic information used as evidence in trials. As a result, more forensic science technicians will be needed to provide forensics information to law enforcement agencies and courts.

Occupational Title

SOC Code

Employment, 2022

Projected Employment, 2032

Change, 2022-32

Employment by Industry

Percent

Numeric

Forensic science technicians

19-4092

18,500

20,800

13

2,300
Get data

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state's websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

For more information about forensic science technicians and related specialists, visit
American Academy of Forensic Sciences American Board of Criminalistics Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners International Association for Identification International Crime Scene Investigators Association
CareerOneStop

For a career video on forensic science technicians, visit
Forensic science technicians
O*NET
Forensic Science Technicians

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Forensic science technicians aid criminal investigations by collecting and analyzing evidence.

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Forensic Scientist make around $59-60,000 a year making $5,100 a month.

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The tools used such as microscopes, cameras, light sources, and chromatographs all involve a high powered equipment often used to detect fingerprints and victims.

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Dr. William Bass
Dr. Joseph Bell

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-Bachelors degree in Forensic Science, biology, or chemistry
-extensive on the job training 3 years

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The start of Forensic Science began in the 700 in china were they used fingerprints on sculptures and documents.

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Shifts can be day, afternoon, or nightime and some crimes can last all day.

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Forensic Science technition also known as crim scene investigators specialize in investigations hitting the name and lab analysis.