Forensic Science Technicians Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for forensic science technicianss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $79,200 ≈ $38/hr
National median salary $72,060
Total employment 19,120 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +12.8%
Much faster than average
Annual openings 2,900 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 20,700 → 23,300 (+2,600)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Illinois$108,760
- California$104,960
- Colorado$89,400
- Maryland$88,980
- Nevada$86,640
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Arkansas$48,750
- South Carolina$53,750
- South Dakota$54,770
- Wyoming$56,990
- Mississippi$57,650
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $108,760 | $124,790 | $52 | +37.3% | 370 |
| 2 | California | $104,960 | $102,100 | $50 | +32.5% | 2,800 |
| 3 | Colorado | $89,400 | $84,010 | $43 | +12.9% | 510 |
| 4 | Maryland | $88,980 | $82,140 | $43 | +12.3% | 460 |
| 5 | Nevada | $86,640 | $81,090 | $42 | +9.4% | 360 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $86,260 | $79,320 | $41 | +8.9% | 290 |
| 7 | Washington | $85,260 | $81,310 | $41 | +7.7% | 390 |
| 8 | Oregon | $84,800 | $80,950 | $41 | +7.1% | 110 |
| 9 | New York | $84,050 | $81,670 | $40 | +6.1% | 1,140 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $83,340 | $85,910 | $40 | +5.2% | 120 |
| 11 | Virginia | $80,370 | $68,900 | $39 | +1.5% | 770 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $78,780 | $76,960 | $38 | -0.5% | 140 |
| 13 | Montana | $77,470 | $82,200 | $37 | -2.2% | 60 |
| 14 | Idaho | $77,120 | $71,160 | $37 | -2.6% | 160 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $76,750 | $71,090 | $37 | -3.1% | 40 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $75,770 | $70,500 | $36 | -4.3% | 300 |
| 17 | Vermont | $75,550 | $74,110 | $36 | -4.6% | 30 |
| 18 | Arizona | $72,120 | $63,250 | $35 | -8.9% | 900 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $72,110 | $72,280 | $35 | -9% | 310 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $70,830 | $65,570 | $34 | -10.6% | 200 |
| 21 | Indiana | $70,400 | $66,520 | $34 | -11.1% | 320 |
| 22 | Utah | $69,720 | $66,780 | $34 | -12% | 220 |
| 23 | Iowa | $67,980 | $67,060 | $33 | -14.2% | 130 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $67,950 | $65,940 | $33 | -14.2% | 110 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $67,610 | $61,580 | $33 | -14.6% | 360 |
| 26 | Florida | $67,390 | $64,140 | $32 | -14.9% | 1,920 |
| 27 | Missouri | $66,900 | $62,750 | $32 | -15.5% | 350 |
| 28 | Georgia | $65,870 | $63,600 | $32 | -16.8% | 550 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $65,470 | $65,920 | $31 | -17.3% | 150 |
| 30 | Maine | $65,040 | $70,870 | $31 | -17.9% | 40 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $64,370 | $63,220 | $31 | -18.7% | 60 |
| 32 | Alabama | $63,470 | $59,560 | $31 | -19.9% | 160 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $62,840 | $63,330 | $30 | -20.7% | 110 |
| 34 | Texas | $61,530 | $59,870 | $30 | -22.3% | 1,900 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $60,930 | $59,240 | $29 | -23.1% | 520 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $60,590 | $61,470 | $29 | -23.5% | 60 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $57,650 | $52,850 | $28 | -27.2% | 140 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $56,990 | $52,100 | $27 | -28% | 90 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $54,770 | $51,690 | $26 | -30.8% | 30 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $53,750 | $51,830 | $26 | -32.1% | 160 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $48,750 | $44,670 | $23 | -38.4% | 100 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 99 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $137,280 | $132,690 | 140 |
| 2 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $112,790 | $105,710 | 260 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $109,930 | $127,560 | 330 |
| 4 | Akron, OH | $106,330 | $95,040 | 80 |
| 5 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $105,320 | $104,440 | 220 |
| 6 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $104,410 | $107,010 | 1,170 |
| 7 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $102,810 | $104,680 | 80 |
| 8 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $101,780 | $105,420 | 160 |
| 9 | New Haven, CT | $98,250 | $94,640 | 70 |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $95,460 | $90,700 | 230 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing forensic science technicianss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $126,300 | $129,270 | 100 |
| 2 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $126,300 | $128,770 | 120 |
| 3 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $125,740 | $126,020 | — |
| 4 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $105,710 | $97,800 | 80 |
| 5 | Hospitals | $93,210 | $94,680 | 30 |
| 6 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $74,740 | $78,120 | 5,000 |
| 7 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $74,090 | $77,550 | 5,250 |
| 8 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $73,640 | $79,240 | 17,710 |
| 9 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $73,640 | $79,240 | 17,710 |
| 10 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $73,540 | $79,090 | 17,980 |
| 11 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $72,060 | $79,200 | 19,120 |
| 12 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $70,050 | $79,290 | 12,610 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do forensic science technicians make in the U.S.?
The median forensic science technicians salary in the United States is $72,060 per year (mean $79,200), and about 80% earn between $48,250 and $117,250.
How much do forensic science technicians make per hour?
Roughly $38 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $79,200 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays forensic science technicians the most?
Illinois has the highest average pay for forensic science technicians at $108,760 per year (median $124,790).
What is the job outlook for forensic science technicians?
Employment is projected to change +12.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 2,900 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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