Forensic investigator vs forensic ballistics expert

The differences between forensic investigators 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 forensic investigator and a forensic ballistics expert. Additionally, a forensic ballistics expert has an average salary of $64,737, which is higher than the $52,267 average annual salary of a forensic investigator.

The top three skills for a forensic investigator include incident response, windows and FTK. The most important skills for a forensic ballistics expert are litigation, cyber security, and encase.

Forensic investigator vs forensic ballistics expert overview

	Forensic Investigator	Forensic Ballistics Expert
Yearly salary	$52,267	$64,737
Hourly rate	$25.13	$31.12
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	5,032	8,905
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Forensic investigator vs forensic ballistics expert salary

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

	Forensic Investigator	Forensic Ballistics Expert
Average salary	$52,267	$64,737
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $98,000	Between $36,000 And $116,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between forensic investigator and forensic ballistics expert education

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

	Forensic Investigator	Forensic Ballistics Expert
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Forensic investigator vs forensic ballistics expert demographics

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

	Forensic Investigator	Forensic Ballistics Expert
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9%	Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	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 forensic investigator and forensic ballistics expert duties and responsibilities

Forensic investigator example responsibilities.

Receive multiple letters of commendation for effective investigations that lead to successful prosecutions.
Prepare investigative reports, scientific forensic analysis reports and other documents in support of civil litigation.
Perform in-depth forensic analysis of Macintosh computer hard drives and prepare expert report for use in ongoing litigation.
Prepare affidavits of information and apply for investigative or grand jury subpoenas and other legal orders necessary for a thorough investigation.
Present to schools, community organizations, and local corporations prevention techniques in a PowerPoint format.
Evaluate impressions for AFIS (automate fingerprint identification system) potential.

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 investigator vs forensic ballistics expert skills

Common forensic investigator skills

Incident Response, 17%
Windows, 12%
FTK, 11%
Litigation, 8%
Physical Evidence, 6%
Digital Evidence, 5%

Common forensic ballistics expert skills

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

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Forensic Investigator vs Forensic Ballistics Expert

Updated January 8, 2025

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