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The differences between crime scene technicians and criminalists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a crime scene technician and a criminalist. Additionally, a criminalist has an average salary of $68,152, which is higher than the $51,741 average annual salary of a crime scene technician.
The top three skills for a crime scene technician include biohazard, demolition and physical evidence. The most important skills for a criminalist are physical evidence, laboratory reports, and body fluids.
| Crime Scene Technician | Criminalist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,741 | $68,152 |
| Hourly rate | $24.88 | $32.77 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 5,535 | 14,872 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
A criminalist works in the forensic science or law enforcement field. Their duties depend upon the agency or place they work for, but they are often responsible for conducting crime investigations, studying crime scenes, gathering and examining evidence, processing evidence, and coordinating with investigators. They must also prepare and process documents, present detailed results and reports to investigators, and sometimes testify in court.
Crime scene technicians and criminalists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Crime Scene Technician | Criminalist | |
| Average salary | $51,741 | $68,152 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $80,000 | Between $36,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | City of Los Angeles |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a crime scene technician and a criminalist in terms of educational background:
| Crime Scene Technician | Criminalist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between crime scene technicians' and criminalists' demographics:
| Crime Scene Technician | Criminalist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.6% Female, 49.4% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 10.4% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |