Forensic Scientist Salary (July 2024) - Zippia (2024)

FAQs

Forensic Scientist Salary (July 2024) - Zippia? ›

The average forensic scientist salary in the United States is $71,351. Forensic scientist salaries typically range between $45,000 and $112,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for forensic scientists is $34.3 per hour. Forensic scientist salary is impacted by location, education, and experience.

$100,000. Forensic medical examiners are typically the highest-paid forensic jobs, making about $100,000 a year. However, rates vary from $70,000 a year to $200,000 or more.

As of Jul 4, 2024, the average annual pay for a Forensic Scientist in California is $75,768 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $36.43 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,457/week or $6,314/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $137,500 and as low as $36,500, the majority of Forensic Scientist salaries currently range between $57,500 (25th percentile) to $93,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $111,500 annually across the United States.

Forensic scientist salaries typically range between $45,000 and $112,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for forensic scientists is $34.3 per hour. Forensic scientist salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Forensic scientists earn the highest average salary in Alaska.

Job Outlook

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.

Factors That Affect Salary

Those in San Jose, California, can earn up to $106,600 annually. Forensic archaeologists have an average salary of $61,220, while forensic psychologists average around $73,000.

A Smart Asset report based on MIT's Living Wage data found that the average salary required to live comfortably in the U.S. is $68,499 after taxes. This is nearly $10,000 higher than what the average salary currently is.

Large caseloads, hazardous materials, traumatic evidence, and other complexities related to the job can have a direct effect on staff. Individuals working in this field are continually faced with an incredible amount of grief, sadness, pressure, and stress.

Unlike crime scene investigators, forensic scientists do not visit the crime scene. Instead, they work in a lab environment, examining and analyzing evidence provided by investigators to help law enforcement agencies pursue justice.

What is the highest paying job? ›

Forensic Science Technicians made a median salary of $63,740 in 2022. The best-paid 25% made $82,160 that year, while the lowest-paid 25% made $49,320.

Becoming a forensic scientist can be challenging. Forensic scientists need a bachelor's degree and specialized training in areas like DNA analysis, toxicology and fingerprint analysis. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills help prospective forensic scientists succeed in this field.

Earning a PhD is an option for forensic science professionals who wish to seek promotion to advanced leadership positions, teach at the college level, or go into research. A doctorate degree in forensic science can typically be completed through four to five years of study.