Forensic specialist vs crime scene analyst

The differences between forensic specialists and crime scene analysts 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 specialist and a crime scene analyst. Additionally, a crime scene analyst has an average salary of $60,637, which is higher than the $51,653 average annual salary of a forensic specialist.

The top three skills for a forensic specialist include social work, encase and criminal justice. The most important skills for a crime scene analyst are physical evidence, law enforcement agencies, and crime scene investigation.

Forensic specialist vs crime scene analyst overview

	Forensic Specialist	Crime Scene Analyst
Yearly salary	$51,653	$60,637
Hourly rate	$24.83	$29.15
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	1,338	231
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 82%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Forensic specialist vs crime scene analyst salary

Forensic specialists and crime scene analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Forensic Specialist	Crime Scene Analyst
Average salary	$51,653	$60,637
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $79,000	Between $37,000 And $98,000
Highest paying City	Santa Monica, CA	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	QED Group	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between forensic specialist and crime scene analyst education

There are a few differences between a forensic specialist and a crime scene analyst in terms of educational background:

	Forensic Specialist	Crime Scene Analyst
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 82%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Forensic specialist vs crime scene analyst demographics

Here are the differences between forensic specialists' and crime scene analysts' demographics:

	Forensic Specialist	Crime Scene Analyst
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 49.1% Female, 50.9%	Male, 52.1% Female, 47.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 10.1% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	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 specialist and crime scene analyst duties and responsibilities

Forensic specialist example responsibilities.

Manage use and maintenance of company vehicle, surveying equip., cameras, and firearms.
Provide individualize intervention for problematic behaviors using TCI techniques such as de-escalation, to prevent and/or manage crisis.
Secure and track any DNA evidence submit for testing.
Examine evidence for the presence of biological material and collect potential DNA samples.
Provide individualize intervention for problematic behaviors using TCI techniques such as de-escalation, to prevent and/or manage crisis.
Assess for risk of suicide, homicide, psychosis and other safety concerns.

Crime scene analyst example responsibilities.

Participate on inter-agency task forces to strategically apprehend and convict key members of criminal groups in the Chicagoland area.
Collect evidence using various collection and detection methods including photography, ALS and chemical processing.

Forensic specialist vs crime scene analyst skills

Common forensic specialist skills

Social Work, 10%
Encase, 8%
Criminal Justice, 8%
Mental Health, 6%
Digital Forensics, 5%
Forensic Interviews, 5%

Common crime scene analyst skills

Physical Evidence, 78%
Law Enforcement Agencies, 11%
Crime Scene Investigation, 11%

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Forensic Specialist vs Crime Scene Analyst

Updated January 8, 2025

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