Also called: Crime Lab Analyst, Criminalist
Analyzes physical evidence from crimes—DNA, fibers, drugs, fingerprints—in a crime lab.
Examines a jacket from a burglary for tiny glass fragments, compares them with broken window glass, and writes a report that may be used in court.
BLS May 2024.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in forensic science, chemistry, or biology.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Forensic Science, Chemistry, Biology.
Growing much faster than average (about 13% over 10 years). BLS 2024-34 (approx).
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI speeds comparisons and report drafts, but crime labs have backlogs and courts need human analysts who testify.
Classes: Chemistry, Biology, Statistics, Speech.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4092.
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.