Forensic scientist vs coroner

The differences between forensic scientists and coroners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a forensic scientist, becoming a coroner takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a forensic scientist has an average salary of $71,351, which is higher than the $53,616 average annual salary of a coroner.

The top three skills for a forensic scientist include laboratory equipment, physical evidence and analytical procedures. The most important skills for a coroner are law enforcement agencies, death investigations, and physical evidence.

Forensic scientist vs coroner overview

	Forensic Scientist	Coroner
Yearly salary	$71,351	$53,616
Hourly rate	$34.30	$25.78
Growth rate	11%	16%
Number of jobs	43,335	111
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 80%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Average age	38	46
Years of experience	4	2

Forensic scientist vs coroner salary

Forensic scientists and coroners have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Forensic Scientist	Coroner
Average salary	$71,351	$53,616
Salary range	Between $45,000 And $112,000	Between $26,000 And $109,000
Highest paying City	Lincoln, NE	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Alere	-
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between forensic scientist and coroner education

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

	Forensic Scientist	Coroner
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 80%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Most common major	Biology	Criminal Justice
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Forensic scientist vs coroner demographics

Here are the differences between forensic scientists' and coroners' demographics:

	Forensic Scientist	Coroner
Average age	38	46
Gender ratio	Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9%	Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 8.1% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	12%

Differences between forensic scientist and coroner duties and responsibilities

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.

Coroner example responsibilities.

Perform DNA extraction, quantitation and PCR amplification
Perform in-depth forensic analysis of Macintosh computer hard drives and prepare expert report for use in ongoing litigation.
Upload to and compare candidate match profiles using the CODIS system.
Perform frozen sectioning for in-surgical consultation.

Forensic scientist vs coroner skills

Common forensic scientist skills

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

Common coroner skills

Law Enforcement Agencies, 37%
Death Investigations, 37%
Physical Evidence, 18%
Death Scenes, 6%
Death Certificates, 2%

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Forensic Scientist vs Coroner

Updated January 8, 2025

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