Polygraph Examiner Salary Range
A polygraph is a piece of equipment used in police work and other fields to determine if a person hooked up to the machine is telling the truth. The equipment detects internal bodily reactions to questions asked by a polygraph examiner. The machine will register potential lies that the person tells, which can help determine whether a person is being honest.
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Definition
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Polygraph examiners are trained operators who may use their services in many legal arenas, including law enforcement. Polygraph examiners are employed in a variety of settings and situations, including criminal investigations, family conflicts, trials, relationship struggles and when interviewing convicted sex offenders. Those in the field are expected to have excellent interpersonal skills and the willingness to work in a possibly confrontational environment. They must be able to work as part of a team or independently.
Training
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To be considered for a polygraph examiner position, potential applicants require several phases of training. Students should attend a polygraph training school that's been certified by the American Polygraph Association. Training tends to take from 12 to 15 weeks and is followed by a part-time internship for around one year. Potential applicants should join a polygraph association, such as the American Association of Police Polygraphists or the American Polygraph Association. Some organizations will require several years of experience as a polygraph examiner before hiring.
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Salary
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According to a salary survey conducted by Salary Expert, of the 10 cities surveyed the top two cities for a polygraph examiner were Chicago and Miami, with salaries of $46,240 and $42,735 respectively. The bottom two cities surveyed were Houston and Atlanta, with $27,507 and $29,383 respectively. The average salary of the 10 cities surveyed--which also included Phoenix, Dallas, Orlando, Charlotte, New York and Boston--was $35,906. This compares poorly with the mean annual wages for all members of the life, physical and social science technician field, which was $44,870 as of May 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Comparison
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The middle 50 percent of all life, physical and social science technicians made between $32,010 and $55,020 as of May 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bottom 10 percent made less than $24,490 and the top 10 percent made more than $69,730. Those who worked for the executive branch of the federal government earned a higher annual mean wage ($50,900) than those in other fields such as scientific research and development services ($45,670).
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