SOC 19-4092 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

Forensic Science Technicians wages by metro

National median annual wage

$72,060

10th percentile: $48,250
25th percentile: $57,830
Median: $72,060
75th percentile: $94,520
90th percentile: $117,250
Mean: $79,200

Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.

National employment in May 2025: 19,120.

That median is 41.3% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.

The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.

A welder working in a workshop — A welder at a workshop bench. Photograph by ABDULIUMAR. Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Highest published medians

Metros with the highest published annual medians for Forensic Science Technicians.
Occupation	Employment	10th	Median	90th
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	140	$100,810	$137,280	$162,090
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	260	$65,780	$112,790	$148,790
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	330	$87,410	$109,930	$176,280
Akron, OH	80	$58,590	$106,330	$112,470
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	220	$68,060	$105,320	$141,340
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	1,170	$62,890	$104,410	$142,150
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	80	$65,030	$102,810	$138,060
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	160	$79,150	$101,780	$141,480
New Haven, CT	70	$78,470	$98,250	$116,560
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	230	$68,090	$95,460	$119,190
Toledo, OH	40	$65,150	$95,330	$111,430
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	110	$47,550	$88,670	$113,210
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	80	$58,210	$87,460	$135,010
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	70	$51,810	$87,280	$113,210
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	340	$64,470	$87,170	$123,310
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	170	$52,760	$87,020	$117,860
Topeka, KS	60	$60,090	$86,670	$110,680
Fresno, CA	70	$55,940	$85,200	$129,530
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	660	$49,600	$85,070	$132,820
Colorado Springs, CO	30	$67,880	$84,010	$103,890

Where employment is largest

Metros with the most Forensic Science Technicians jobs in the May 2025 tables.
Occupation	Employment	10th	Median	90th
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	1,170	$62,890	$104,410	$142,150
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	800	$63,970	$81,670	$105,920
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	660	$49,600	$85,070	$132,820
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	620	$51,580	$65,220	$109,850
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	590	$41,300	$57,180	$83,770
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	490	$54,200	$77,820	$104,730
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	380	$42,840	$65,230	$93,230
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	370	$47,440	$63,840	$89,600
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	360	$50,990	$70,130	$83,140
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	340	$64,470	$87,170	$123,310
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	330	$87,410	$109,930	$176,280
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	300	$59,090	$81,780	$126,950
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	300	$38,080	$66,440	$83,470
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	300	$51,580	$61,580	$105,530
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	280	$65,510	$82,320	$124,440
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	260	$65,780	$112,790	$148,790
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	250	$64,520	$79,320	$132,580
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	250	$41,200	$60,740	$86,960
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	230	$68,090	$95,460	$119,190
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	220	$68,060	$105,320	$141,340

States and territories

State estimates for Forensic Science Technicians, May 2025.
Occupation	Employment	10th	Median	90th
Illinois	370	$65,780	$124,790	$148,790
California	2,800	$64,650	$102,100	$148,090
Connecticut	120	$41,500	$85,910	$111,560
Colorado	510	$63,080	$84,010	$114,100
Montana	60	$55,640	$82,200	$104,410
Maryland	460	$59,730	$82,140	$130,000
New York	1,140	$63,970	$81,670	$105,920
Washington	390	$61,290	$81,310	$108,300
Nevada	360	$58,120	$81,090	$135,490
Oregon	110	$58,210	$80,950	$135,010
Massachusetts	290	$64,520	$79,320	$120,000
Minnesota	140	$58,660	$76,960	$107,170
Vermont	30	$58,480	$74,110	$98,880
Wisconsin	310	$53,840	$72,280	$100,640
Idaho	160	$50,040	$71,160	$117,430
North Dakota	40	$59,170	$71,090	$102,160
Maine	40	$44,260	$70,870	$84,050
Tennessee	300	$47,730	$70,500	$120,140
Virginia	770	$49,390	$68,900	$125,740
Iowa	130	$35,960	$67,060	$100,130
Utah	220	$48,410	$66,780	$94,490
Indiana	320	$49,990	$66,520	$92,450
Oklahoma	110	$43,990	$65,940	$99,980
Nebraska	150	$46,500	$65,920	$81,850
New Mexico	200	$47,120	$65,570	$103,270
Florida	1,920	$44,280	$64,140	$93,870
Georgia	550	$46,490	$63,600	$89,600
West Virginia	110	$41,990	$63,330	$83,950
Arizona	900	$49,110	$63,250	$109,850
New Jersey	60	$45,550	$63,220	$84,030
Missouri	350	$45,940	$62,750	$92,350
Pennsylvania	360	$47,740	$61,580	$94,520
Kentucky	60	$48,470	$61,470	$74,710
Texas	1,900	$42,430	$59,870	$82,640
Alabama	160	$39,300	$59,560	$88,510
North Carolina	520	$45,950	$59,240	$81,760
Mississippi	140	$36,820	$52,850	$84,260
Wyoming	90	$41,600	$52,100	$79,610
South Carolina	160	$39,990	$51,830	$73,490
South Dakota	30	$26,450	$51,690	$72,510
Arkansas	100	$38,470	$44,670	$66,440
Louisiana	240	Not available	Not available	Not available
Michigan	650	Not available	Not available	Not available
Ohio	470	Not available	Not available	Not available

Other life, physical, and social science occupations

Questions this page answers

What is the national median wage for Forensic Science Technicians?

In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Forensic Science Technicians is $72,060. Employment is 19,120.

How does Forensic Science Technicians pay compare with all occupations?

The national median for Forensic Science Technicians is 41.3% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.

Which metro has the highest published median for Forensic Science Technicians?

Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is highest on this page's list at $137,280.