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The differences between forensic scientists and medical examiners 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 medical examiner takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a medical examiner has an average salary of $156,092, which is higher than the $71,351 average annual salary of a forensic scientist.
The top three skills for a forensic scientist include laboratory equipment, physical evidence and analytical procedures. The most important skills for a medical examiner are EKG, medical history, and vital signs.
| Forensic Scientist | Medical Examiner | |
| Yearly salary | $71,351 | $156,092 |
| Hourly rate | $34.30 | $75.04 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 43,335 | 47,428 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 38 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Forensic scientists work as experts in collecting evidence, analyzing evidence collected at crime scenes, and communicating with law enforcement. They can work as a lab manager and detective. They are responsible for ensuring that tests are performed correctly and ethically without any bias. They obtain evidence at the crime scene, making reports of the findings, examining the evidence in the lab if the evidence collected is relevant or not, and testifying in court. They report to superiors the findings of the analysis.
A medical examiner works with deceased bodies to determine the cause and time of death. They analyze available information, testify in court, act as an expert witness in various criminal and civil cases, and provide forensic evidence. They are generally only expected to investigate deaths that occur under suspicious circumstances, as not all deaths will require an autopsy.
Forensic scientists and medical examiners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Forensic Scientist | Medical Examiner | |
| Average salary | $71,351 | $156,092 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $112,000 | Between $78,000 And $308,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lincoln, NE | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Alere | Bexar County |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a forensic scientist and a medical examiner in terms of educational background:
| Forensic Scientist | Medical Examiner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Biology | Nursing |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | - |
Here are the differences between forensic scientists' and medical examiners' demographics:
| Forensic Scientist | Medical Examiner | |
| Average age | 38 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9% | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% |
| 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, 10.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 9.3% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |