Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between computer forensics technicians and crime scene technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a computer forensics technician and a crime scene technician. Additionally, a crime scene technician has an average salary of $51,741, which is higher than the $50,698 average annual salary of a computer forensics technician.
The top three skills for a computer forensics technician include extraction, physical evidence and digital evidence. The most important skills for a crime scene technician are biohazard, demolition, and physical evidence.
| Computer Forensics Technician | Crime Scene Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $50,698 | $51,741 |
| Hourly rate | $24.37 | $24.88 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 19,018 | 5,535 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Computer Forensics Technician investigates cases from a digital perspective. They specialize in gathering and analyzing digital evidence from devices such as computers, flash drives, cell phones, tablets, and other technologies. There are also instances where they use special software and tools, recover or retrieve files, and unseal documents while adhering to government laws and regulations. When it comes to employment, they may work for government agencies, law enforcement, or even private investigators.
A crime scene technician specializes in gathering and processing evidence from crime scenes. They must visit and closely examine crime scenes, find potential clues, gather fingerprints and DNA samples, take photos and videos, recreate the crime scene through sketches or computerized models, and keep records. They also conduct laboratory analyses to process evidence and report results to investigators. They may sometimes have to testify at court, where they must present their findings objectively and clearly.
Computer forensics technicians and crime scene technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer Forensics Technician | Crime Scene Technician | |
| Average salary | $50,698 | $51,741 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $65,000 | Between $33,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lincoln, NE | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | - |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a computer forensics technician and a crime scene technician in terms of educational background:
| Computer Forensics Technician | Crime Scene Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between computer forensics technicians' and crime scene technicians' demographics:
| Computer Forensics Technician | Crime Scene Technician | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.1% Female, 52.9% | Male, 50.6% Female, 49.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |