Forensic Science Salary

Forensic scientists can work just about anywhere in the world, so it is hard to get an accurate estimate of what you may earn as one. Your forensic science salary may be entirely different than someone else who works in the same building, so you never really know what you are going to make until you actually get involved with this career. With that in mind, there are some average numbers that you can look to if you want to see an approximate minimum and maximum that you may make in the future. The data points below highlight the average forensic scientist salary levels you may earn if you pursue a career in this field.

Average Forensic Science Salary

Forensic science has one of the largest scales for salaries out there, mainly because of the vast industries that forensic scientists can work in. If you are going to get involved with this career path, you could earn a salary that fits into the range below:

Forensic Scientist

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Note that those numbers do not reflect the extreme upper and lower tiers of forensic science employees. You could make well over $100,000 a year in this career if you work for the right employers. When you start out in the industry, you may only make $30,000 annually. Over time though, that number could increase significantly. Some government forensic specialists make more than $200,000 a year, so the earning potential is out there. You just have to have the determination to take it as it comes along.

Forensic Science Salary by Industry

You may find employment in many different industries while working as a forensic scientist. Some of those industries include:

• Government and Public Law Offices: $28,993 – $84,327
• Government: $33,072 – $98,436
• Law Enforcement: $32,288 – $99,091
• Professional, Analytical and Laboratory Services: $30,139 – $88,951
• Science and Engineering Services: $29,694 – $93,196

Forensic Science Salary by Degree

Theoretically, a higher college education should provide you with a higher forensic science salary. Research suggests that this may not be the case though, at least not at this time. Here are some of the most common forensic science degrees in the country, along with the money people make with those degrees after graduation:

• Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry: $39,500 – $180,000
• Bachelor of Science in Biology: $29,669 – $79,713
• Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science: $34,000 – $97,000
• Bachelor’s Degree: $29,470 – $109,827
• Master of Science in Forensic Science: $30,201 – $74,710

Forensic Science Salary by Gender

Even though men take over most criminal justice careers, they take a back seat to women in this case. Women cover 56% of the forensic scientist population, while men cover 44%. Nevertheless, men tend to make more money in this career than women. Possible earnings include:

• Male: $40,525 – $93,598
• Female: $37,151 – $62,713

Forensic Science Salary by Location

Some areas of the country have better paying work for forensic scientists than others. Here are the top six highest paying cities for forensic scientists in the country:

• (1) Washington, D.C.: $48,980 – $213,500
• (2) Chicago, Illinois: $54,045 – $63,879
• (3) Seattle, Washington: $41,437 – $56,810
• (4) Lost Angeles, California: $39,305 – $68,163
• (5) Atlanta, Georgia: $30,167 – $110,055
• (6) New York City, New York: $30,000 – $140,000

Use the information above to determine what your forensic science salary may be. You should have no trouble seeing that this career can in fact be profitable for you in the end. Now all you have to do is figure out what it will take to get a good job so you can start making that kind of money in the near future.

Note that the information above is courtesy of PayScale.com as of December 25, 2011. It may not reflect the information at the time you read this article.