Requirements for a Career in Computer Forensics
Computer forensic professionals work with law enforcement to recover evidence of crimes on computers. The computer forensic investigator can recover evidence of financial crime, predatory crimes against children and computer hacking. A computer forensic specialist may work for private organizations to ensure the safety of the company’s computer system. The average salary for a computer forensic analyst is between $47,117 and $79,667 as of November 2010, according to Payscale.com.
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Education
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Computer forensic professionals must have a minimum of an associate’s degree in computer science or criminal justice. Forensic analysts in business may require a degree in accounting or finance for positions analyzing accounting data. Students in a computer forensics program study encryption, data recovery, programming and computer security. Criminal justice students study law enforcement techniques for handling evidence in a computer crime. Computer forensic professionals interested in a career in law enforcement may complete a program with a state or local police academy.
Skills
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Computer forensic professionals must have a strong attention to detail when recovering evidence in a criminal investigation. Analysts must have good communication skills to complete reports for non-technical law enforcement or business workers.
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Experience
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Those entering the computer forensic field may have backgrounds in business, law enforcement or accounting. The professional may have experience working as an investigator for an insurance company before training as a computer forensic analyst. Knowledge and experience in finance and accounting provides the computer forensic investigator with the tools and skills to detect and identify evidence of financial fraud. Professionals may work in an information technology position in business as well before pursuing a career as a computer forensic analyst.
Job Outlook
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The job outlook for investigators, including computer forensic investigators, is expected to grow by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Identity theft, Internet crime and financial crimes fuel the expected growth for workers in this field.
Salary Information
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The certification and education a computer forensic professional earns can play a role in the salary. For example, professionals who are Certified Information Systems Security Professionals earn average salaries between $53,062 and $106,100, as of November 2010, according to Payscale.com. A CompTIA Security certification can earn the computer forensic analyst a salary between $50,868 and $73,698.
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References
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