Forensic Science Technicians pay in the U.S.
$79,200avg. a year
$38.08 an hour · 19,120 employed
Forensic Science Technicians in the U.S. earn an average of $79,200 a year and a median of $72,060. Pay is highest in Illinois ($108,760) and lowest in Arkansas ($48,750).
$72,060Median pay
$38.08Average hourly
+22%Avg. pay since 2020
19,120Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for forensic science technicians
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
1370 jobs
Illinois
$108,760
$52.29 an hour
22,800 jobs
California
$104,960
$50.46 an hour
3510 jobs
Colorado
$89,400
$42.98 an hour
4460 jobs
Maryland
$88,980
$42.78 an hour
5360 jobs
Nevada
$86,640
$41.66 an hour
6290 jobs
Massachusetts
$86,260
$41.47 an hour
7390 jobs
Washington
$85,260
$40.99 an hour
8110 jobs
Oregon
$84,800
$40.77 an hour
91,140 jobs
New York
$84,050
$40.41 an hour
10120 jobs
Connecticut
$83,340
$40.07 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Forensic Science Technicians pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $64k$64k–$70k$70k–$80k$80k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $132,690 | $63.80 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $127,560 | $61.33 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $107,010 | $51.45 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $105,710 | $50.82 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $105,420 | $50.68 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $104,440 | $50.21 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $92,220 | $44.34 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $91,890 | $44.18 |
Related jobs
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Forensic Science Technicians pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $63,470 | $59,560 | 160 |
| Arizona | $72,120 | $63,250 | 900 |
| Arkansas | $48,750 | $44,670 | 100 |
| California | $104,960 | $102,100 | 2,800 |
| Colorado | $89,400 | $84,010 | 510 |
| Connecticut | $83,340 | $85,910 | 120 |
| Florida | $67,390 | $64,140 | 1,920 |
| Georgia | $65,870 | $63,600 | 550 |
| Idaho | $77,120 | $71,160 | 160 |
| Illinois | $108,760 | $124,790 | 370 |
| Indiana | $70,400 | $66,520 | 320 |
| Iowa | $67,980 | $67,060 | 130 |
| Kentucky | $60,590 | $61,470 | 60 |
| Maine | $65,040 | $70,870 | 40 |
| Maryland | $88,980 | $82,140 | 460 |
| Massachusetts | $86,260 | $79,320 | 290 |
| Minnesota | $78,780 | $76,960 | 140 |
| Mississippi | $57,650 | $52,850 | 140 |
| Missouri | $66,900 | $62,750 | 350 |
| Montana | $77,470 | $82,200 | 60 |
| Nebraska | $65,470 | $65,920 | 150 |
| Nevada | $86,640 | $81,090 | 360 |
| New Jersey | $64,370 | $63,220 | 60 |
| New Mexico | $70,830 | $65,570 | 200 |
| New York | $84,050 | $81,670 | 1,140 |
| North Carolina | $60,930 | $59,240 | 520 |
| North Dakota | $76,750 | $71,090 | 40 |
| Oklahoma | $67,950 | $65,940 | 110 |
| Oregon | $84,800 | $80,950 | 110 |
| Pennsylvania | $67,610 | $61,580 | 360 |
| South Carolina | $53,750 | $51,830 | 160 |
| South Dakota | $54,770 | $51,690 | 30 |
| Tennessee | $75,770 | $70,500 | 300 |
| Texas | $61,530 | $59,870 | 1,900 |
| Utah | $69,720 | $66,780 | 220 |
| Vermont | $75,550 | $74,110 | 30 |
| Virginia | $80,370 | $68,900 | 770 |
| Washington | $85,260 | $81,310 | 390 |
| West Virginia | $62,840 | $63,330 | 110 |
| Wisconsin | $72,110 | $72,280 | 310 |
| Wyoming | $56,990 | $52,100 | 90 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$107,010
1,170 jobsNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$85,170
800 jobsWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$92,220
660 jobsPhoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
$75,120
620 jobsDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
$61,330
590 jobsMiami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
$78,790
490 jobsTampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
$66,570
380 jobsAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$68,030
370 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do forensic science technicians make?
The average is $79,200 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $72,060 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $38.08, and the median is $34.65 an hour.
Which state pays forensic science technicians the most?
Illinois, with an average of $108,760 a year. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $132,690.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $48,250 a year, and the top 10% earn over $117,250.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 19-4092. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.