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What is a crime laboratory technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a crime laboratory technician. For example, did you know that they make an average of $15.49 an hour? That's $32,220 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 11% and produce 2,000 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreCrime Laboratory TechnicianUS Average
Salary
2.5

Avg. Salary $32,220

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.9

Growth rate 11%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.99%

Asian 11.38%

Black or African American 6.80%

Hispanic or Latino 12.39%

Unknown 5.73%

White 62.70%

Gender

female 61.90%

male 38.10%

Age - 35
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 35
Stress level
7.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a crime laboratory technician

  1. Explore crime laboratory technician education requirements

    Most common crime laboratory technician degrees

    Bachelor's

    80.0 %

    Master's

    11.4 %

    Associate

    5.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific crime laboratory technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Physical Evidence62.28%
    Law Enforcement Agencies15.33%
    Crime Scene Evidence8.56%
    Criminal Cases8.50%
    Lims5.33%
  3. Complete relevant crime laboratory technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New crime laboratory technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a crime laboratory technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real crime laboratory technician resumes.
  4. Research crime laboratory technician duties and responsibilities

    • Lead aerobic, anaerobic and UV light testing, chemical residue testing and centrifuge to separate chemicals from water.
    • Ensure FDLE's evidence submissionguidelines are adhered to.
    • Maintain and operate laboratory equipment and commendably troubleshoot and resolve an assortment of laboratory testing analyzers and perform diverse chemical tests.
    • Ascertain stat orders that come from E.D.
  5. Prepare your crime laboratory technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your crime laboratory technician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a crime laboratory technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable crime laboratory technician resume templates

    Build a professional crime laboratory technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your crime laboratory technician resume.
    Crime Laboratory Technician Resume
    Crime Laboratory Technician Resume
    Crime Laboratory Technician Resume
    Crime Laboratory Technician Resume
    Crime Laboratory Technician Resume
    Crime Laboratory Technician Resume
    Crime Laboratory Technician Resume
    Crime Laboratory Technician Resume
    Crime Laboratory Technician Resume
  6. Apply for crime laboratory technician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a crime laboratory technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first crime laboratory technician job

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Average crime laboratory technician salary

The average crime laboratory technician salary in the United States is $32,220 per year or $15 per hour. Crime laboratory technician salaries range between $20,000 and $49,000 per year.

Average crime laboratory technician salary
$32,220 Yearly
$15.49 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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