occupation · 19-4092 · detailed
Forensic Science Technicians — wages and employment
Forensic Science Technicians earned a median annual wage of $67,440 in the United States in May 2024, with 19,450 people employed, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
What stands out
Forensic Science Technicians earned a median annual wage of $67,440 in the United States in May 2024, with 19,450 people employed, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The lowest-paid tenth earned $45,560 or less, the best-paid tenth $110,710 or more. Since May 2023 the median moved from $64,940 to $67,440, +3.8 %. The best-paying state is Illinois at $117,590; the lowest Arkansas at $46,210. Among metropolitan areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA pays the highest median, $131,390. Wages are as published by BLS for May of each year; '≥ $239,200' is BLS's top code. Every value links to its fact record.
United States, year by year
Annual wages at the median, mean and four percentiles; employment is the May estimate.
| Reference | Employment | Median | Mean | 10th | 25th | 75th | 90th | Median hourly | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | 19,450 | $67,440 | $75,260 | $45,560 | $53,310 | $88,710 | $110,710 | $32.42 | evidence → |
| May 2023 | 17,520 | $64,940 | $71,540 | $41,410 | $50,480 | $84,720 | $107,490 | $31.22 | evidence → |
By state
Median annual wage, May 2024, highest first. Each state has its own record with the full series.
| State | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $117,590 | 380 |
| California | $96,850 | 3,100 |
| Connecticut | $84,920 | 120 |
| Montana | $78,610 | 60 |
| Maryland | $78,220 | 410 |
| New York | $78,170 | 1,120 |
| Oregon | $78,100 | 110 |
| Colorado | $77,800 | 430 |
| Washington | $77,650 | 340 |
| Nevada | $76,540 | 330 |
| Massachusetts | $75,210 | 270 |
| Kansas | $75,150 | 200 |
| North Dakota | $74,470 | 30 |
| Ohio | $73,310 | 470 |
| Tennessee | $70,500 | 320 |
| Michigan | $69,040 | 690 |
| Minnesota | $68,790 | 110 |
| Maine | $68,710 | 30 |
| Vermont | $67,750 | 30 |
| Indiana | $65,770 | 300 |
| Oklahoma | $64,990 | 110 |
| Missouri | $64,700 | 280 |
| Utah | $64,430 | 210 |
| Iowa | $63,650 | 130 |
| Nebraska | $63,390 | 120 |
| Virginia | $62,860 | 740 |
| Wisconsin | $61,920 | 280 |
| New Mexico | $61,890 | 200 |
| Florida | $61,070 | 2,440 |
| Wyoming | $60,670 | 50 |
| Arizona | $60,620 | 880 |
| Idaho | $60,470 | 170 |
| West Virginia | $59,930 | 90 |
| Alabama | $59,560 | 160 |
| Georgia | $58,500 | 540 |
| Kentucky | $58,230 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,820 | 440 |
| Texas | $55,830 | 1,990 |
| Mississippi | $54,720 | 120 |
| New Jersey | $54,230 | 50 |
| North Carolina | $50,460 | 520 |
| South Carolina | $49,960 | 130 |
| South Dakota | $49,280 | 30 |
| Arkansas | $46,210 | 170 |
Highest-paying metropolitan areas
Top 20 by median annual wage.
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $131,390 | 150 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $103,930 | 410 |
| Akron, OH | $102,230 | 80 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $100,800 | 230 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $99,670 | 270 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $98,110 | 1,210 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $97,040 | 90 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $96,770 | 150 |
| Toledo, OH | $93,560 | 40 |
| New Haven, CT | $93,290 | 70 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $91,340 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $86,150 | 70 |
| Columbus, OH | $83,790 | 170 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $82,600 | 200 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $82,140 | 180 |
| Modesto, CA | $81,860 | 40 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $80,400 | 30 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $80,300 | 640 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $79,910 | 290 |
| Fresno, CA | $79,700 | 80 |
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