Information on Crime Scene Investigation Career Pay

Forensic scientists apply science to the law and criminal investigation.

The success of television shows such as "CSI" have fueled the popularity of crime scene investigations as a career option. Crime scene investigators, also known as forensic scientists, use scientific techniques to collect and analyze evidence from crime scenes. The work is meticulous, requiring in-depth mathematical and scientific knowledge. Forensic scientist earnings depend greatly on a person's mix of skills, experience and employment.

Identification

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that forensic science technicians, including crime scene investigators, earned a median annual income of $47,680 in 2007. Under this study, forensic science technician is a broad occupational category that includes firearms examiners, forensic toxicologists, latent print examiners and other crime scene specialists.

Considerations

In a 2009 article in its Occupational Outlook Quarterly, the BLS noted that the earnings of forensic specialists will most likely be comparable to those of workers in the broader occupational specialty. For example, a forensic chemist or biologist will likely have earnings similar to those of other chemists or biologists.

Salary Ranges

According to the BLS, in a 1999 report, starting salaries for forensic scientists ranged from $20,000 to $40,000 a year. Experienced forensic specialists in crime labs had salaries ranging from $40,000 to $85,000 a year. Directors of crime labs, meanwhile, earned annual salaries as high as $100,000.

Features

Forensic scientists work for federal, state and local law-enforcement agencies and crime labs. Place of employment, coupled with education and experience, influence the salaries of forensic scientists. Some forensic specialists are self-employed and are paid on a case-by-case basis. For example, forensic scientists who act as expert witnesses in criminal trials are usually paid only for their service in a particular case.

Potential

BLS projects that the demand for crime scene investigators and other forensic science specialists will grow by more than 30 percent by 2016. These jobs will require a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a scientific field, such as biology, chemistry or forensic science. Competition for these jobs is likely to be heavy, which could affect salary levels. Forensic scientists with advanced degrees or training in a needed specialty likely will command the best salaries.

References

• Careers in Forensics
• Forensic Scientists: Careers in the Crime Lab

Resources

• American Academy of Forensic Science
• International Association of Identification