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The differences between crime specialists 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 crime specialist and a crime scene technician. Additionally, a crime scene technician has an average salary of $51,741, which is higher than the $35,227 average annual salary of a crime specialist.
The top three skills for a crime specialist include criminal justice, anti-money laundering and secrecy. The most important skills for a crime scene technician are biohazard, demolition, and physical evidence.
| Crime Specialist | Crime Scene Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $35,227 | $51,741 |
| Hourly rate | $16.94 | $24.88 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 1,239 | 5,535 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The duties of a Crime Specialist usually depend on their place of employment. Their responsibilities include visiting crime scenes, gathering and analyzing pieces of evidence, conducting interviews with witnesses, utilizing forensic equipment and techniques, taking photographs or videos, and preparing reports and other paperwork. They may also attend court hearings, provide insights, and train new members of the workforce. Crime Specialists work together with law enforcement, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
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.
Crime specialists and crime scene technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Crime Specialist | Crime Scene Technician | |
| Average salary | $35,227 | $51,741 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $47,000 | Between $33,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | Salt Lake City, UT | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | Collabera | - |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a crime specialist and a crime scene technician in terms of educational background:
| Crime Specialist | Crime Scene Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between crime specialists' and crime scene technicians' demographics:
| Crime Specialist | Crime Scene Technician | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.1% Female, 64.9% | Male, 50.6% Female, 49.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.2% 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% |