Median Salary of a Forensic Scientist in New York State
If you have ever watched a crime drama on television, you have undoubtedly seen a forensic scientist at work. Law enforcement agencies across the country depend on their forensic science department to analyze and interpret important clues and evidence when investigating crimes. While many factors can impact your salary as a forensic scientist in New York, the average median salary as of 2010 is around $50,000 per year.
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Forensic Science
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Forensic science is used to apply to any legal-based scientific analysis. As a result, a forensic science technician may specialize in any of a number of areas. A biological forensic science technician, for example, may run DNA analysis on hair or blood samples while a firearms forensic science technician may compare ballistics. Toxicologists run forensic tests on blood to check for the presence of chemicals while an information technology expert may attempt to locate apparently lost or destroyed data from digital media. All of these jobs are examples of a forensic scientist.
Job Requirements
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The job requirements for a position as a New York forensic scientist will depend somewhat on your area of specialty. As a general rule, however, you will need at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as biology, chemistry or information technology. Many schools are now offering majors specifically in forensic science. As with most occupations, the more education you have, you will likely have a better chance of obtaining a position and earning a higher salary. You will also need to have a clean background. Typically, a pre-employment background screening is done since you will be working with confidential information for a law enforcement agency.
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Salary
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median salary for a forensic science technician was $51,570 as of 2010. The salary range ran from $32,900 in the 10 percent bracket to $82,990 in the 90 percent bracket. Although figures were not available for New York through the BLS, New Jersey, its closest neighbor, had a median yearly salary of $50,330 for the same time period. Although New York is home to one of the largest cities in the United States, it also has a large amount of fairly rural area. Whether you are at the high end or low end of the salary range may depend, to some degree, on whether you accept a position in a small rural town upstate or in New York City, among other factors.
Considerations
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Forensic science positions can be found with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Your salary will depend on who you work for as well as your level of experience and education. Although the field is expanding and demand is predicted to increase, the competition for jobs may increase as well as more people choose careers in forensic science. Along with your base salary, you are likely to have an excellent benefits package if you are working for a government law enforcement agency that may include medical, dental and life insurance, paid vacations and a retirement program.
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