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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

19-4092 Forensic Science Technicians

Collect, identify, classify, and analyze physical evidence related to criminal investigations. Perform tests on weapons or substances, such as fiber, hair, and tissue to determine significance to investigation. May testify as expert witnesses on evidence or crime laboratory techniques. May serve as specialists in area of expertise, such as ballistics, fingerprinting, handwriting, or biochemistry.


National estimates for Forensic Science Technicians
Industry profile for Forensic Science Technicians
Geographic profile for Forensic Science Technicians

National estimates for Forensic Science Technicians:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Forensic Science Technicians:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
17,520 1.6 % $ 34.40 $ 71,540 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Forensic Science Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 19.91 $ 24.27 $ 31.22 $ 40.73 $ 51.68
Annual Wage (2) $ 41,410 $ 50,480 $ 64,940 $ 84,720 $ 107,490


Industry profile for Forensic Science Technicians:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Forensic Science Technicians are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Forensic Science Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Forensic Science Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,770 0.20 $ 35.51 $ 73,860
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 4,610 0.22 $ 33.43 $ 69,540
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 630 0.04 $ 30.85 $ 64,160
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 490 0.02 $ 26.15 $ 54,380
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories 300 0.09 $ 23.78 $ 49,460

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Forensic Science Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 4,610 0.22 $ 33.43 $ 69,540
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,770 0.20 $ 35.51 $ 73,860
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories 300 0.09 $ 23.78 $ 49,460
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 630 0.04 $ 30.85 $ 64,160
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 490 0.02 $ 26.15 $ 54,380

Top paying industries for Forensic Science Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 110 0.01 $ 57.52 $ 119,630
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (8) (8) $ 46.65 $ 97,040
Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities 130 0.01 $ 36.75 $ 76,440
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,770 0.20 $ 35.51 $ 73,860
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 4,610 0.22 $ 33.43 $ 69,540


Geographic profile for Forensic Science Technicians:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Forensic Science Technicians are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Forensic Science Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of forensic science technicians by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Forensic Science Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 2,390 0.13 1.15 $ 47.31 $ 98,400
Texas 2,220 0.16 1.42 $ 28.76 $ 59,830
Florida 2,030 0.21 1.84 $ 29.60 $ 61,570
Arizona 860 0.28 2.39 $ 33.49 $ 69,660
Virginia 700 0.17 1.52 $ 34.84 $ 72,460


Map of location quotient of forensic science technicians by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Forensic Science Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Arizona 860 0.28 2.39 $ 33.49 $ 69,660
Nevada 330 0.22 1.90 $ 37.11 $ 77,180
New Mexico 180 0.22 1.87 $ 28.39 $ 59,040
Florida 2,030 0.21 1.84 $ 29.60 $ 61,570
Wyoming 50 0.18 1.56 $ 29.82 $ 62,030


Map of annual mean wages of forensic science technicians by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Forensic Science Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 2,390 0.13 1.15 $ 47.31 $ 98,400
Illinois 370 0.06 0.54 $ 46.04 $ 95,750
Connecticut 130 0.08 0.65 $ 39.72 $ 82,620
New York 590 0.06 0.55 $ 39.72 $ 82,610
Massachusetts 120 0.03 0.28 $ 39.68 $ 82,520



Map of employment of forensic science technicians by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Forensic Science Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 880 0.14 1.23 $ 52.40 $ 109,000
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 610 0.19 1.67 $ 32.66 $ 67,940
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 600 0.26 2.28 $ 35.22 $ 73,250
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 580 0.19 1.64 $ 41.31 $ 85,930
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 510 0.19 1.62 $ 39.22 $ 81,570
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 500 0.13 1.10 $ 29.88 $ 62,140
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 490 0.35 3.02 $ 28.35 $ 58,970
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 370 0.13 1.15 $ 29.66 $ 61,700
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 350 0.04 0.32 $ 41.31 $ 85,920
Austin-Round Rock, TX 330 0.27 2.30 $ 28.41 $ 59,100


Map of location quotient of forensic science technicians by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Forensic Science Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Charleston, WV 70 0.68 5.89 $ 28.30 $ 58,870
Tallahassee, FL 110 0.63 5.46 $ 24.98 $ 51,950
Missoula, MT 40 0.56 4.85 $ 36.04 $ 74,970
Topeka, KS 50 0.48 4.12 $ 36.73 $ 76,400
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 80 0.46 3.97 $ 25.37 $ 52,760
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 100 0.46 3.96 $ 36.45 $ 75,810
College Station-Bryan, TX 60 0.43 3.72 $ 27.34 $ 56,870
Tucson, AZ 160 0.41 3.51 $ 30.64 $ 63,740
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 170 0.38 3.32 $ 37.85 $ 78,740
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 130 0.38 3.26 $ 22.76 $ 47,330


Map of annual mean wages of forensic science technicians by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Forensic Science Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 90 0.18 1.58 $ 79.52 $ 165,410
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 130 0.11 0.97 $ 57.44 $ 119,460
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 880 0.14 1.23 $ 52.40 $ 109,000
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 320 0.13 1.13 $ 49.38 $ 102,710
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 50 0.16 1.37 $ 48.73 $ 101,350
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 140 0.13 1.16 $ 47.19 $ 98,150
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 210 0.13 1.17 $ 45.78 $ 95,230
Reno, NV 60 0.23 1.99 $ 45.08 $ 93,760
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 270 0.06 0.51 $ 43.80 $ 91,110
New Haven, CT 60 0.22 1.94 $ 42.67 $ 88,740

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Forensic Science Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 30 0.36 3.12 $ 23.83 $ 49,570
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.11 0.99 $ 21.42 $ 44,560
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.08 0.70 $ 27.03 $ 56,230
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.15 1.34 $ 22.15 $ 46,060

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Forensic Science Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 30 0.36 3.12 $ 23.83 $ 49,570
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.15 1.34 $ 22.15 $ 46,060
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.11 0.99 $ 21.42 $ 44,560
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.08 0.70 $ 27.03 $ 56,230

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Forensic Science Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.08 0.70 $ 27.03 $ 56,230
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 30 0.36 3.12 $ 23.83 $ 49,570
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.15 1.34 $ 22.15 $ 46,060
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.11 0.99 $ 21.42 $ 44,560


About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024