Job Description
Forensic science technicians investigate crimes by collecting and analyzing physical evidence. Often, they specialize in areas such as DNA analysis or firearm examination, performing tests on weapons or substances such as fiber, glass, hair, tissue, and body fluids to determine significance to the investigations. When criminal cases come to trial, forensic science technicians often give testimony as expert witnesses on laboratory findings by identifying and classifying substances, materials, and other evidence collected at the scene of a crime.

Median Salary
$53,026

Education Requirement
A bachelor’s degree from a four-year college is required with a major in criminal justice, chemistry, biology, or physics. This usually includes successful completion of eight semester units of general chemistry and three semester units of quantitative analysis. Some crime labs require a master’s degree in forensic science.

Job Outlook
One of the fastest growing fields in law enforement, crime scene technicians who work for State and county crime labs should experience favorable employment prospects resulting from strong job growth.