Computer forensics technician vs forensic science examiner

The differences between computer forensics technicians and forensic science examiners 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 forensic science examiner. Additionally, a forensic science examiner has an average salary of $55,410, which is higher than the $50,698 average annual salary of a computer forensics technician.

Computer forensics technician vs forensic science examiner overview

	Computer Forensics Technician	Forensic Science Examiner
Yearly salary	$50,698	$55,410
Hourly rate	$24.37	$26.64
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	19,018	7,275
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Computer forensics technician vs forensic science examiner salary

Computer forensics technicians and forensic science examiners have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Computer Forensics Technician	Forensic Science Examiner
Average salary	$50,698	$55,410
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $65,000	Between $26,000 And $116,000
Highest paying City	Lincoln, NE	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Los Alamos National Laboratory	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between computer forensics technician and forensic science examiner education

There are a few differences between a computer forensics technician and a forensic science examiner in terms of educational background:

	Computer Forensics Technician	Forensic Science Examiner
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	University of Pennsylvania

Computer forensics technician vs forensic science examiner demographics

Here are the differences between computer forensics technicians' and forensic science examiners' demographics:

	Computer Forensics Technician	Forensic Science Examiner
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 47.1% Female, 52.9%	Male, 30.4% Female, 69.6%
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, 6.8% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 11.4% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between computer forensics technician and forensic science examiner duties and responsibilities

Computer forensics technician example responsibilities.

Set up and manage all Linux labs campus-wide.
Identify, collect, preserve and impound evidence including developing fingerprints and/or footprints and collecting DNA and stain evidence.
Train employees and subcontractors on the use, maintenance and troubleshooting of genetic analysis and real-time PCR system instrumentation and software.
Compose comprehensive DNA analysis reports.
Increase customer satisfaction by validating a more sensitive extraction method which produce more informative results.
Serve statements of claims, subpoenas, summonses, jury summonses, orders to pay alimony, and other court orders.

Forensic science examiner example responsibilities.

Examine firearms for the presence of blood and touch DNA.
Examine evidence hard drives and other media devices with FTK following chain-of-custody procedures for manual processing procedures.
Direct employees in the unit to switch among functions depending on the work counts within the IAFIS.

Computer forensics technician vs forensic science examiner skills

Common computer forensics technician skills

Extraction, 21%
Physical Evidence, 12%
Digital Evidence, 11%
Laboratory Equipment, 8%
Maintenance Logs, 8%
Immunoassay, 5%

Common forensic science examiner skills

Computer Forensics Technician vs. similar jobs

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Computer Forensics Technician
Computer Forensics Technician vs Forensic Science Examiner

Updated January 8, 2025

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