Criminalist vs forensic ballistics expert

The differences between criminalists and forensic ballistics experts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a criminalist and a forensic ballistics expert. Additionally, a criminalist has an average salary of $68,152, which is higher than the $64,737 average annual salary of a forensic ballistics expert.

The top three skills for a criminalist include physical evidence, laboratory reports and body fluids. The most important skills for a forensic ballistics expert are litigation, cyber security, and encase.

Criminalist vs forensic ballistics expert overview

	Criminalist	Forensic Ballistics Expert
Yearly salary	$68,152	$64,737
Hourly rate	$32.77	$31.12
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	14,872	8,905
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Criminalist vs forensic ballistics expert salary

Criminalists and forensic ballistics experts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Criminalist	Forensic Ballistics Expert
Average salary	$68,152	$64,737
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $127,000	Between $36,000 And $116,000
Highest paying City	San Mateo, CA	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	City of Los Angeles	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between criminalist and forensic ballistics expert education

There are a few differences between a criminalist and a forensic ballistics expert in terms of educational background:

	Criminalist	Forensic Ballistics Expert
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Chemistry	Criminal Justice
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Criminalist vs forensic ballistics expert demographics

Here are the differences between criminalists' and forensic ballistics experts' demographics:

	Criminalist	Forensic Ballistics Expert
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1%	Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2%
Race ratio	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%	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 criminalist and forensic ballistics expert duties and responsibilities

Criminalist example responsibilities.

Perform bone processing and DNA extraction from human remains.
Perform restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and PCR analysis.
Perform preventive maintenance on GC instruments and maintain preventive maintenance records in binders and LIMS.
Analyze controlled and non-control drugs using FTIR, GC/MS, GC/FID, and HPLC methods.
Analyze samples for the presence or absence of control substances using GC-MS, FTIR, microscopy and other chemical tests.
Develop a computerize firearms inspection worksheet that provide a print inspection report and create a firearms database.

Forensic ballistics expert example responsibilities.

Manage use and maintenance of company vehicle, surveying equip., cameras, and firearms.
Provide computer forensics, litigation and regulatory support, including expert testimony.
Perform in-depth forensic analysis of Macintosh computer hard drives and prepare expert report for use in ongoing litigation.
Perform function tests on submit firearms and collect standards for microscopic comparisons.

Criminalist vs forensic ballistics expert skills

Common criminalist skills

Physical Evidence, 18%
Laboratory Reports, 7%
Body Fluids, 7%
Quantitative Analysis, 5%
Perform DNA, 5%
Proficiency Testing, 4%

Common forensic ballistics expert skills

Litigation, 42%
Cyber Security, 23%
Encase, 15%
E-Discovery, 13%
Security Practices, 7%

Criminalist vs. similar jobs

Criminalist related careers

Criminalist related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Life, Physical, and Social Science Industry
Criminalist
Criminalist vs Forensic Ballistics Expert

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs