Forensic pathologist vs forensic toxicologist

The differences between forensic pathologists and forensic toxicologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a forensic pathologist, becoming a forensic toxicologist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a forensic toxicologist has an average salary of $70,179, which is higher than the $57,239 average annual salary of a forensic pathologist.

The top three skills for a forensic pathologist include body fluids, and . The most important skills for a forensic toxicologist are ms, laboratory equipment, and GC.

Forensic pathologist vs forensic toxicologist overview

	Forensic Pathologist	Forensic Toxicologist
Yearly salary	$57,239	$70,179
Hourly rate	$27.52	$33.74
Growth rate	16%	11%
Number of jobs	20,624	807
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Average age	46	38
Years of experience	2	4

Forensic pathologist vs forensic toxicologist salary

Forensic pathologists and forensic toxicologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Forensic Pathologist	Forensic Toxicologist
Average salary	$57,239	$70,179
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $122,000	Between $39,000 And $123,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between forensic pathologist and forensic toxicologist education

There are a few differences between a forensic pathologist and a forensic toxicologist in terms of educational background:

	Forensic Pathologist	Forensic Toxicologist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Most common major	Biology	Chemistry
Most common college	Stanford University	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Forensic pathologist vs forensic toxicologist demographics

Here are the differences between forensic pathologists' and forensic toxicologists' demographics:

	Forensic Pathologist	Forensic Toxicologist
Average age	46	38
Gender ratio	Male, 47.6% Female, 52.4%	Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 6.6% White, 68.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 10.1% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	12%	8%

Differences between forensic pathologist and forensic toxicologist duties and responsibilities

Forensic pathologist example responsibilities.

Supervise and manage pathology, microbiology and biochemistry laboratory.
Work independently under protocols for treatment to provide STI risk assessment, treatment, and prophylaxis including emergency contraception.
Work independently under protocols for treatment to provide STI risk assessment, treatment, and prophylaxis including emergency contraception.

Forensic toxicologist example responsibilities.

Perform Headspace GC analysis for presence and concentration determination of alcohols and other volatile substances in biological samples.
Used laboratory information management system (LIMS) to track casework and release results.
SOP's have to be constantly update and follow to detail to prepare the samples accurately before extraction.
Prepare samples for analysis through extraction of control substances from biological matrices.
Duplicate VHS tapes and various other types of media to DVD.
Perform confirmatory semen testing (p30 ELISA and microscopic slide searches for spermatozoa) on casework samples.

Forensic pathologist vs forensic toxicologist skills

Common forensic pathologist skills

Body Fluids, 100%

Common forensic toxicologist skills

Ms, 23%
Laboratory Equipment, 13%
GC, 10%
LC, 9%
Sops, 7%
Immunoassay, 7%

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Forensic Pathologist vs Forensic Toxicologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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