Forensic ballistics expert vs forensic scientist

The differences between forensic ballistics experts and forensic scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a forensic ballistics expert and a forensic scientist. Additionally, a forensic scientist has an average salary of $71,351, which is higher than the $64,737 average annual salary of a forensic ballistics expert.

The top three skills for a forensic ballistics expert include litigation, cyber security and encase. The most important skills for a forensic scientist are laboratory equipment, physical evidence, and analytical procedures.

Forensic ballistics expert vs forensic scientist overview

	Forensic Ballistics Expert	Forensic Scientist
Yearly salary	$64,737	$71,351
Hourly rate	$31.12	$34.30
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	8,905	43,335
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 80%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Forensic ballistics expert vs forensic scientist salary

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

	Forensic Ballistics Expert	Forensic Scientist
Average salary	$64,737	$71,351
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $116,000	Between $45,000 And $112,000
Highest paying City	-	Lincoln, NE
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Alere
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between forensic ballistics expert and forensic scientist education

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

	Forensic Ballistics Expert	Forensic Scientist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 80%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Biology
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	California State University - Bakersfield

Forensic ballistics expert vs forensic scientist demographics

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

	Forensic Ballistics Expert	Forensic Scientist
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2%	Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between forensic ballistics expert and forensic scientist duties and responsibilities

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.

Forensic scientist example responsibilities.

Perform organic and robotic DNA extraction, real-time PCR, serology testing, data maintenance/analysis/comparison, documentation, and report writing.
Prepare STR products for size separation via CE on ABI [].
Extract, quantify (RT-PCR), amplify (PCR), and analyze human DNA.
Experience with GC/MS, ELISA, FPIA, HPLC/DAD, UV-Vis spectroscopy, GC/FID, GC/NPD, and LC/QQQ.
Skil in STR mixture deductions.
Maintain, calibrate and clean pipettes.

Forensic ballistics expert vs forensic scientist skills

Common forensic ballistics expert skills

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

Common forensic scientist skills

Laboratory Equipment, 11%
Physical Evidence, 10%
Analytical Procedures, 5%
Extraction, 5%
Criminal Justice, 5%
Test Results, 5%

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Forensic Ballistics Expert
Forensic Ballistics Expert vs Forensic Scientist

Updated January 8, 2025

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