Also called: Accident Reconstruction Specialist, Collision Analyst
Figures out exactly how a car crash happened using physics, skid marks, and vehicle data.
You measure skid marks and debris at a scene with a laser scanner, download a car's black-box data, and calculate speeds. Then you build an animation and may testify in court.
Estimated; private engineering experts earn more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 4 years after high school. Often police officers with specialized training, or engineers with a mechanical engineering degree; ACTAR accreditation.
Ways in: Certification, On-the-job training, 4-year college. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Criminal Justice.
Growing about average. Steady demand from police, insurers, and law firms.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Vehicle black boxes and AI simulations do more of the analysis; scene work and expert testimony stay human.
Classes: AP Physics, Algebra II, Government.
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.