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The differences between fingerprint 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 fingerprint technician and a criminalist. Additionally, a criminalist has an average salary of $68,152, which is higher than the $39,867 average annual salary of a fingerprint technician.
The top three skills for a fingerprint technician include customer service, citizenship and USCIS. The most important skills for a criminalist are physical evidence, laboratory reports, and body fluids.
| Fingerprint Technician | Criminalist | |
| Yearly salary | $39,867 | $68,152 |
| Hourly rate | $19.17 | $32.77 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 23,737 | 14,872 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Fingerprint Technician specializes in reviewing and classifying fingerprints, processing them according to their purpose. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their place or employment industry, it typically includes assisting clients in fingerprinting processes, facilitating fingerprint scanning methods, utilizing software to record and organize data, and maintaining an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow. When it comes to employment, a Fingerprint Technician may work for government agencies, law enforcement, and forensic laboratories.
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.
Fingerprint technicians and criminalists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fingerprint Technician | Criminalist | |
| Average salary | $39,867 | $68,152 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $60,000 | 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 fingerprint technician and a criminalist in terms of educational background:
| Fingerprint Technician | Criminalist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between fingerprint technicians' and criminalists' demographics:
| Fingerprint Technician | Criminalist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.8% 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% |