Forensic Science Technicians
SOC 19-4092 · 2024-2034
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.
How the U.S. Department of Labor describes this work. Published in English only.
The job this trains for
- Typical pay in California
- $104,958per year
- Projected openings
- 4,050
- Projected change
- +14.3%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
Bright Outlook — a U.S. Department of Labor designation
Rapid Growth
The Department's own designation, made from its national projections. It is not this project's assessment and it is not California's: every other figure on this page comes from California's projection, which can point the other way and for some occupations does.
Skills this work uses most
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, rates how important each of these is to this work, and they are listed in that order, most important first. The ratings themselves are not shown, because the data carries the number without the scale it was measured on. The names are as published, in English.
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
Pay by region
| Region | Typical pay in California | Projected openings |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) | $134,961 | 210 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD (San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) | $123,623 | 230 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) | $106,583 | 350 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $103,539 | 330 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) | $101,832 | 1,330 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA (Ventura County) | $99,677 | 130 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo Counties) | $99,400 | 230 |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) | $89,130 | 360 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties) | $82,082 | 410 |
| Stockton-Lodi MSA (San Joaquin County) | $80,541 | 80 |
| Bakersfield-Delano MSA (Kern County) | $77,531 | 110 |
Similar work
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, names these as occupations involving work similar to this one — its own reading of the job, not a grouping by code. They keep O*NET's order, and only those California publishes a projection for are shown.
| The job this trains for | Typical pay in California | Projected openings | Projected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $128,002 | 9,580 | +4.5% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $138,203 | 59,320 | +11.1% |
| Compliance Officers | $98,607 | 43,870 | +7% |
Leads to — 5
Cert. of Achievement Administration of Justice: Forensic Criminalist
Contra Costa College · San Pablo · $1,340
Crime Scene Investigation Certificate of Achievement
City College of San Francisco · San Francisco · $860
Administration of Justice, Certificate of Achievement
College of Marin · Greenbrae · $2,266
Criminal Justice (Hybrid)
United Education Institute dba UEI College · Huntington Park · $19,900
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT
Diablo Valley College · Pleasant Hill · $2,681