How to Become a Forensic Science Technician:
The Definitive Guide

What is a Forensic Science Technician?

A Forensic Science Technician is someone who handles the evidence at crime scenes.

They will then take it back to a laboratory and analyze the evidence, seeing if there are any pieces of information, whether physical or DNA, to provide an answer to the crime that was committed.

You will often see Forensic Science Technicians testifying in court, working in labs, and even as independent consultants.

The role of a Forensic Science Technician is to evaluate and pick apart every inch of a crime scene, so each piece of evidence is secured, then later they look at the individual pieces of evidence.

Duties

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Salary

The average salary for a Forensic Science Technician in the United States is around $49,000 a year.

The range typically falls between $40,000 and $60,000.

Those that are just beginning their careers as a Forensic Science Technician will likely make around $40,000 a year.

While those that have been in the field longer with more experience and specializations can make around $60,000 a year.

Salary can vary depending on factors like education, location, and certifications.

This means that Forensic Science Technicians that have more education and live in a bigger city will make more money than those who live in smaller towns with less experience and education.

• Annually
• Monthly
• Hourly

*Salary information based on the May 2021 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey.
Conducted by: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

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How to Become a Forensic Science Technician

Step 1Earn a Bachelor's Degree

The first step in your journey to becoming a Forensic Science Technician is enrolling in a university program.

Entry-level Forensic Science Technicians typically have at least a Bachelors’s degree.

Some of the majors that you may want to consider include forensic science, biology, chemistry, and even physics.

A forensic science major will likely have courses that discuss basic science as well as:

• Pharmacology
• Statistics
• Computer modeling
• Biochemistry
• Criminal Justice

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences also suggests taking several English courses to gain strong written and verbal communication skills.

Within the forensic science major, it is possible to have a specialty such as toxicology, DNA, or pathology.

A Forensic Science Technician needs a lot of practice within a lab, so expect to basically live in the laboratory for much of your university life.

Most Bachelors’ degrees in science require an internship at some point.

Typically, students will network with other scientists and have firsthand experience with crime scenes and evidence.

It doesn’t matter where you apply for your internship, you can work locally, at a state or even federal level.

It may also be possible to find an internship at a police station or hospital.

Even if your university does not require that you work an internship, it is desirable for employers to see that you have experience in the field.

Step 2Go to Graduate School

Oh, you thought you were done with school after getting a Bachelors’s degree?

That could be the case if you’d like to stay as an entry-level Forensic Science Technician, but we all know that you want a promotion at some point.

How does that happen?

Well, you’ll need to go to graduate school.

Many Forensic Science Technicians have a Masters’s degree in forensic science or another natural science.

Since the field is competitive, it is suggested that you go for your Master’s degree.

Some of the jobs that you may be to get as a graduate degree holder include:

• Secret Service
• FBI
• Department of Justice
• Department of Homeland Security
• Financial Crime Investigation
• Forensic Computers
• Professional Investigator
• Postal Inspection Service

One of the great things about technological advancements is that you can go to graduate school mostly online.

The types of classes that you can expect in a Masters program for a Forensic Science Technician include:

• Forensic Chemistry
• Forensic Biology
• Forensic Analysis
• Thesis Research (and eventually a Thesis paper)
• Analysis of Drugs
• Organizational Information Systems

In addition to classroom work, it is likely that you will be working in a lab for this degree as well.

It is also possible to choose a specialty, such as:

• Ballistics
• Forensic Engineering
• Toxicology
• Digital and Multimedia Science

Step 3Earn a Doctoral Degree

Yes, there is even more schooling to get into if you want to become the best Forensic Science Technician you can be.

In some fields of practice, it is required to have a doctoral degree.

For example, specialists in jurisprudence must possess a law degree and belong to at least one state bar.

Forensic dentists need a doctoral degree as well as some forensic pathologists and psychiatrists.

Depending on the field that you would like to get into, a medical degree or Ph.D. may be required.

This is something that you will need to look into before you begin your journey.

Step 4Certifications are Optional

Most of the time, a certification for a Forensic Science Technician is overkill, however, there are some fields that do require certain certifications.

There are several certifications provided by the American College of Forensic Examiners, the American Board of Criminalists, and the International Association of Identification.

Some of the certifications that you may want to obtain include:

• Bloodstains
• Crime scenes
• Forensic photography
• Latent prints
• Registered Investigator
• Diplomate of the ABC

The time it takes to finish the different certifications can vary between associations and programs.

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Education

There are a couple of different roads you can travel when thinking of becoming a Forensic Science Technician.

Nearly every single Forensic Science Technician career requires a Bachelors’s degree in Forensic Science or another scientific field.

Many jobs in the Forensic Science field also require a Masters’s degree in order to increase knowledge of a specific area.

You’ll also want to think about whether the job you want requires a Doctoral degree, such as a forensic dentist or forensic psychiatrist.

Many Bachelors’s, Master’s, and even Doctoral degrees can be done online nowadays.

Typically, a Bachelors’s degree will take around four years to complete.

Some of the courses that you can expect to take in a Bachelors degree Forensic Science program can include:

• Intro to Forensic Science
• Chemistry
• Pathology
• Forensic Trace Evidence
• Forensic Toxicology
• Crime Scene Processing

A Master’s degree in forensic science can take around two to three years to complete.

Having a Master’s degree is not required by many fields in the forensic science industry, however, it shows employees that you understand and are serious about the career.

Some of the courses that you can expect from a Masters degree program include:

• Fundamental Concepts of Forensic Science
• Molecular Techniques
• Scientific Evidence
• Analytical Methods
• Homicide Crime Scene Investigation

Depending on which type of degree you are seeking, you may also encounter or specialized courses such as:

• DNA Evidence
• Criminalistics
• Forensic Technology
• Analysis of Non-Human DNA
• Forensic Fire/Arson Investigation

There are some jobs in the Forensic Science Technician field that require a doctoral degree.

A doctoral degree can take five extra years and includes a residency in a lab or clinic.

The degree types can vary here too, from Forensic Dentistry to Anthropology.

Some of the courses you may take for a doctoral degree are:

• Analysis in Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry
• Crime Scene Reconstruction
• Criminal Law
• Ethics

Video About The Career

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Certifications

When it comes to certifications as a Forensic Science Technician, they are typically optional.

Through the American Board of Criminalistics, one of the first forensic science boards in the U.S. to be certified by the Forensic Specialty Accreditation Board, you can find many certifications.

These certifications include:

• Drug Chemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Trace Evidence
• Fire Debris Analysis

With the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators, you can obtain two types of certifications, the Basic Registry Certification and the Advanced Board Certification.

The Basic Registry Certification provides recognition to people with basic knowledge of medicolegal death investigation.

The Advanced Board Certification provides recognition for people who demonstrate mastery of all the parts of medicolegal death investigation.

The American Board of Forensic Toxicology provides certifications to toxicologists with specific qualifications, these members show high intelligence in the field.

These certifications are:

• Diplomate – Which you must have a Doctoral degree to earn
• Specialist – Must have a Bachelors’s degree and three years of full-time employment.

Another certification can be obtained through the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners.

Applicants for this certification must be highly qualified in forensic documentation.

In order to be applicable for this certification, you must actively work in the field, hold a Bachelors’s degree, have two years of training with an ABFDE-recognized laboratory and have at least three character references.

It may not seem easy to obtain a certification as a Forensic Science Technicians, but there are so many options that you may find just what you are looking for.

All of these certifications vary in length of time it takes to complete, this is something that you will need to inquire about through the program you wish to gain the certification.

Some certifications can take as little as six weeks to complete, and some may take several months to a year.

Certification Example:

Average Training Program Duration: 4+ Years

Due to the fact that there are so many different fields to get into on the Forensic Science Technician track the amount of time it takes to train for a specific certification can vary.

Some certifications can take as little as six weeks to complete.

While others can take several months or up to a year.

If you plan to work as a forensic dentist or a forensic psychiatrist, you should be prepared to work for a medical degree, which can take up to seven years.

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Popular Programs

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Job Outlook

Forensic Science Technicians shouldn’t have much to worry about in the career department for the next ten years or so.

The career is estimated to grow around fourteen percent in that time.

Even with the large growth in employment, the job market may still be small as there are fewer Forensic Science Technician jobs than others in the same field.

State and local governments will be looking to hire Forensic Science Technicians to help with their overbearing workload.

Technological and scientific advances will also allow for more jobs due to the increase in the reliability and usefulness of computers and forensic data.

Employment Growth Projection: 16%

That's a higher than average projected growth of 2,600 jobs.

Forensic Science Technician: Interest Over Time

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Should You Become a Forensic Science Technician?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How much does a Forensic Science Technician make?

On average in the United States, a Forensic Science Technician makes around $49,000 a year.

This amount can vary depending on several factors, how much education you have, how much experience you have, and where you work.

Most Forensic Science Technicians just starting out in the career will make around $40,000.

It’s possible to make $80,000 or more a year with education and time commitment.

Q. What does a Forensic Science Technician do?

A Forensic Science Technician has an important job, and it’s done in two parts.

First, the Forensic Science Technician must examine a crime scene for evidence.

They will then take the evidence that they’ve collected and analyzed it in a lab.

This can help police and investigators solve crimes like robberies and murder.

Much of the time, a Forensic Science Technician will keep in close contact with law enforcement so that everyone is on the same page.

Q. How long does it take to become a Forensic Science Technician?

The time it takes to have a career as a Forensic Science Technician is around four years for an entry-level position.

For this type of job, you’ll need to have a Bachelors’s degree, and this takes around four years to complete.

If you want to have a specialty as a Forensic Science Technician, then you will want to earn a Master’s degree.

This can take another 2-3 years to complete.

Some careers within the forensic science field require a Doctoral degree, which can be another 5 years.

All in all, it can take up to ten years to complete your education.

Q. Is there a demand for Forensic Science Technicians?

As long as there is crime, there will be a need for Forensic Science Technicians.

Although this can be considered a bad thing, crime allows for Forensic Science Technicians to work in a field that interests them.

The more technological advancements in use today provide more jobs for Forensic Science Technicians throughout the country.

There are jobs in the local sector, state level, and even government level.

Q. How much does it cost to become a Forensic Science Technician?

Again, this will depend on you.

Do you want to earn a Bachelors’s degree?

If so, that can cost anywhere from $18,000 to $40,000 depending on the school you’d like to attend.

Then, if you want to work toward a Master’s degree, this can be another $50,000 dollars in student loans.

Achieving Doctoral status will require another $50,000.

It can cost over $100,000 to become a Forensic Science Technician.

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