Firearms & Toolmark Examiner

Matches bullets and cartridge cases to the guns that fired them.

A day in the life

Test-fires a recovered pistol into a water tank, then compares the tiny scratches on the bullets side-by-side under a comparison microscope.

Pay over a career

Starting

$50k

Typical

$75k

High

$110k

Estimate.

Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.

Training

Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in a natural science plus 2-3 years of apprenticeship training in a lab.

Ways in: 4-year college, Apprenticeship, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.

Majors to look at: Forensic Science, Chemistry, Physics.

Outlook

Growing much faster than average (about 13% over 10 years). Follows forensic science technicians.

Will it last? Our AI estimate

Medium risk for 10 years. 3D imaging and AI compare bullet marks; test-firing, judgment and testimony keep examiners needed.

Start now, in high school

Classes: Physics, Chemistry, Statistics.

• Law Enforcement Explorers
• Science Olympiad Forensics
• 4-H Shooting Sports with safety training

Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4092.

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Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.