Also called: Medical Examiner
A physician who performs autopsies to determine how and why people died, often testifying in court.
She performs two autopsies in the morning, examines microscope slides from a past case after lunch, and testifies in a murder trial in the afternoon.
Severe shortage of forensic pathologists nationwide.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 13 years after high school. Bachelor's, medical school, pathology residency and a forensic pathology fellowship.
Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: Biology, Chemistry, Pre-Medicine.
Growing faster than average. Strong shortage.
Low risk for 10 years. AI may help read scans and slides; autopsies, cause-of-death rulings and court testimony stay with the physician.
Classes: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 29-1222.
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.