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Criminalist salary
Average criminalist salary
$68,152
Average Criminalist Salary
The average salary for a criminalist in the United States is approximately $68,152 per year. This figure can vary based on factors such as experience, education level, and geographic location. For instance, criminalists with specialized training or certifications often command higher salaries.
How Much Does a Criminalist Make?
Salary estimates show that entry-level criminalists typically earn around $45,000, while those with significant experience, particularly in high-demand areas, can earn upwards of $100,000 annually. Positions in metropolitan areas often offer better pay due to a higher cost of living.
Where Can a Criminalist Earn More?
States like California, New York, and Texas are known for offering competitive salaries for criminalists. In these regions, job opportunities are abundant, particularly in forensic labs, law enforcement agencies, and private sectors. Additionally, cities like Los Angeles and Chicago feature some of the highest-paying roles in this field.
Criminalist Salary Estimates from Across the Web
Various platforms provide salary insights that can help job seekers gauge their earning potential. For instance, Glassdoor and Payscale provide average salary data while also highlighting the importance of negotiation and benefits, which can significantly impact total compensation.
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Where can a Criminalist earn more?
Criminalist salary estimates from across the web
Average criminalist salary by state
The average criminalist salary in Alaska, California, and North Dakota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average criminalist salary states are North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for criminalists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $94,640 | $45.50 |
| 2 | Delaware | $87,775 | $42.20 |
| 3 | Alaska | $122,688 | $58.98 |
| 4 | Nebraska | $86,750 | $41.71 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $82,601 | $39.71 |
| 6 | Nevada | $85,342 | $41.03 |
| 7 | Mississippi | $90,144 | $43.34 |
| 8 | California | $105,815 | $50.87 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $89,477 | $43.02 |
| 10 | Vermont | $84,865 | $40.80 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $88,557 | $42.58 |
| 12 | Maine | $87,690 | $42.16 |
| 13 | Utah | $87,145 | $41.90 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $89,459 | $43.01 |
| 15 | Maryland | $86,738 | $41.70 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $87,240 | $41.94 |
| 17 | Ohio | $82,450 | $39.64 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $78,287 | $37.64 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $86,223 | $41.45 |
| 20 | Washington | $78,599 | $37.79 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $73,666 | $35.42 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $81,932 | $39.39 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $75,141 | $36.13 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $71,526 | $34.39 |
| 25 | Texas | $72,089 | $34.66 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $74,586 | $35.86 |
| 27 | Arizona | $72,864 | $35.03 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $73,910 | $35.53 |
| 29 | Iowa | $64,796 | $31.15 |
| 30 | Illinois | $74,774 | $35.95 |
| 31 | Virginia | $70,074 | $33.69 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $69,173 | $33.26 |
| 33 | New York | $71,608 | $34.43 |
| 34 | Montana | $68,435 | $32.90 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $64,912 | $31.21 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $62,648 | $30.12 |
| 37 | Oregon | $69,627 | $33.47 |
| 38 | Colorado | $64,459 | $30.99 |
| 39 | Florida | $66,493 | $31.97 |
| 40 | Indiana | $63,316 | $30.44 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $49,781 | $23.93 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $49,830 | $23.96 |
| 43 | Michigan | $61,388 | $29.51 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $52,799 | $25.38 |
| 45 | Alabama | $60,293 | $28.99 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $60,866 | $29.26 |
| 47 | Kansas | $47,386 | $22.78 |
| 48 | Missouri | $55,795 | $26.82 |
| 49 | Georgia | $50,860 | $24.45 |
| 50 | Idaho | $57,812 | $27.79 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $51,809 | $24.91 |
Highest paying cities for criminalists
The highest-paying cities for criminalists are San Mateo, CA, Reno, NV, and Columbia, SC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Mateo, CA | $112,402 | $54.04 |
| 2 | Reno, NV | $87,562 | $42.10 |
| 3 | Columbia, SC | $72,026 | $34.63 |
| 4 | Tucson, AZ | $71,957 | $34.59 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $71,803 | $34.52 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $64,316 | $30.92 |
| 7 | Ankeny, IA | $63,752 | $30.65 |
| 8 | Hilo, HI | $60,925 | $29.29 |
| 9 | Saint Louis, MO | $57,306 | $27.55 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $50,885 | $24.46 |
| 11 | Oklahoma City, OK | $49,908 | $23.99 |
Criminalist salary details
A criminalist's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $127,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a criminalist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $127,000 | $10,583 | $61 |
| 75th Percentile | $94,000 | $7,833 | $45 |
| Average | $68,152 | $5,679 | $33 |
| 25th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
Highest paying criminalist jobs
The highest paying types of criminalists are forensic scientist, forensic toxicologist, and forensic computer examiner.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fingerprint Technician | $39,867 | $3,322 | $19.17 | 23,737 |
| Computer Forensics Technician | $50,698 | $4,225 | $24.37 | 19,018 |
| Forensic Computer Examiner | $66,393 | $5,533 | $31.92 | 16,108 |
| Forensic Investigator | $52,267 | $4,356 | $25.13 | 5,032 |
| Crime Scene Technician | $51,741 | $4,312 | $24.88 | 5,535 |
| Forensic Scientist | $71,351 | $5,946 | $34.30 | 43,335 |
Which companies pay criminalists the most?
Criminalist salaries at City of Los Angeles and Kansas City Police Department are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average criminalist salary at companies like Iowa State Association of Counties and Port of Long Beach are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City of Los Angeles | $72,313 | $34.77 |
| 2 | Kansas City Police Department | $66,312 | $31.88 |
| 3 | Iowa State Association of Counties | $65,272 | $31.38 |
| 4 | Port of Long Beach | $60,646 | $29.16 |
| 5 | Nyc Parks | $56,050 | $26.95 |
| 6 | City of Reno | $51,995 | $25.00 |
| 7 | City of Long Beach | $50,172 | $24.12 |
| 8 | Iowa Department of Transportation | $49,352 | $23.73 |
| 9 | City of Tucson | $46,218 | $22.22 |
| 10 | City of St. Louis | $43,443 | $20.89 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Criminalist salary trends
The average criminalist salary has risen by $9,460 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average criminalist earned $58,692 annually, but today, they earn $68,152 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for criminalists over the last decade.
Compare criminalist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average criminalist salary over time
Compare criminalist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Criminalist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $68,200 | $32.77 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $66,500 | $31.99 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $65,500 | $31.49 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | $65,100 | $31.28 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $63,800 | $30.69 | +0.8% |
Recently added criminalist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Rhode Island | Criminalist II (Firearms Examiner & Tool Mark Examiner) | Kingston, RI | 06/28/2025 | $95,000 |
| City of Brighton | Criminalist | Thornton, CO | 06/10/2025 | $73,233 |
| University of Rhode Island | Criminalist II (Lead Firearms & Tool Mark Examiner) | Kingston, RI | 05/17/2025 | $82,082 |
| City of Boise | Criminalist II | Boise, ID | 05/10/2025 | $55,055 |
| San Bernardino County (Ca | Supervising Criminalist | San Bernardino, CA | 04/28/2025 | $111,800 |
| University of Rhode Island | Criminalist II (Lead Firearms & Tool Mark Examiner) | Kingston, RI | 03/15/2025 | $70,971 |
| City of New York | Criminalist IB (Forensic Biology) | Lincoln, NE | 02/19/2025 | $62,014 |
| Crime Scene Investigator | Criminalist II/Forensics Biology | Glendale, CA | 02/19/2025 | $80,643 |
| Crime Scene Investigator | Criminalist | Cincinnati, OH | 02/18/2025 | $56,560 |
| Sf Hrc | 8262-Criminalist III | San Francisco, CA | 02/17/2025 | $170,404 |
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