# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/forensic-science-technicians
- SOC code: 19-4092.00
- Career family: Science
- Median annual pay: $72,060 (10th percentile $48,250, 90th percentile $117,250)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +13.3%
- Openings a year: 2,800
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code IRC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 70 |
| Investigative (I) | 82 |
| Artistic (A) | 13 |
| Social (S) | 8 |
| Enterprising (E) | 10 |
| Conventional (C) | 66 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 87/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 81/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 80/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 79/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 77/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 77/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 75/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 74/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 74/100)
- Processing Information (importance 73/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Writing, Complex Problem Solving, Active Learning, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Science

## Knowledge

Law and Government, Public Safety and Security, Education and Training, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management, Chemistry, Administrative, Biology

## Also called

Ballistician, Ballistics Technician (Ballistics Tech), Biometric Fingerprint Technician (Biometric Fingerprint Tech), Biometric Fingerprinting Technician (Biometric Fingerprinting Tech), Biometrician, Blood Splatter Analyst, Computer Forensics Technician (Computer Forensics Tech), Crime Analyst, Crime Lab Analyst (Crime Laboratory Analyst), Crime Lab Technician (Crime Laboratory Technician)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Criminal Justice and Corrections](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4301) (CIP 4301, 1,742 colleges)
- [Biology, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2601) (CIP 2601, 1,703 colleges)
- [Chemistry](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4005) (CIP 4005, 1,371 colleges)
- [Anthropology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4502) (CIP 4502, 598 colleges)
- [Security Science and Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4304) (CIP 4304, 513 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Carlow University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carlow-university-405) | Biology, General | $42,599 | $134,677 | $26,774 |
| [Calumet College of Saint Joseph](https://www.collegesref.com/college/calumet-college-of-saint-joseph-380) | Criminal Justice and Corrections | $54,078 | $106,465 | $20,417 |
| [Champlain College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/champlain-college-508) | Security Science and Technology | $68,425 | $101,401 | $28,520 |
| [Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott](https://www.collegesref.com/college/embry-riddle-aeronautical-university-prescott-909) | Security Science and Technology | $58,252 | $98,996 | $20,500 |
| [Florida State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/florida-state-university-main-campus-985) | Security Science and Technology | $60,178 | $93,841 | $15,125 |
| [Providence College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/providence-college-2158) | Biology, General | $46,526 | $93,757 | $27,000 |
| [Seton Hall University-New Jersey](https://www.collegesref.com/college/seton-hall-university-new-jersey-2399) | Biology, General | $37,643 | $93,200 | $22,375 |
| [College of the Holy Cross](https://www.collegesref.com/college/college-of-the-holy-cross-626) | Chemistry | $51,144 | $93,122 | $18,250 |

## Related careers

- [Police Identification and Records Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/police-identification-and-records-officers): $93,790 median pay
- [Digital Forensics Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/digital-forensics-analysts): $116,580 median pay
- [Detectives and Criminal Investigators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/detectives-and-criminal-investigators): $93,790 median pay
- [Coroners](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/coroners): $80,730 median pay
- [Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/medical-and-clinical-laboratory-technicians): $62,930 median pay
- [Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/medical-and-clinical-laboratory-technologists): $62,930 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.