Forensic specialist vs forensic toxicologist

The differences between forensic specialists and forensic toxicologists 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 forensic toxicologist. Additionally, a forensic toxicologist has an average salary of $70,179, 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 forensic toxicologist are ms, laboratory equipment, and GC.

Forensic specialist vs forensic toxicologist overview

	Forensic Specialist	Forensic Toxicologist
Yearly salary	$51,653	$70,179
Hourly rate	$24.83	$33.74
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	1,338	807
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Forensic specialist vs forensic toxicologist salary

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

	Forensic Specialist	Forensic Toxicologist
Average salary	$51,653	$70,179
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $79,000	Between $39,000 And $123,000
Highest paying City	Santa Monica, CA	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	QED Group	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between forensic specialist and forensic toxicologist education

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

	Forensic Specialist	Forensic Toxicologist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Chemistry
Most common college	Stanford University	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Forensic specialist vs forensic toxicologist demographics

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

	Forensic Specialist	Forensic Toxicologist
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 49.1% Female, 50.9%	Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9%
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, 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	8%	8%

Differences between forensic specialist and forensic toxicologist 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.

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 specialist vs forensic toxicologist skills

Common forensic specialist skills

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

Common forensic toxicologist skills

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

Forensic Specialist vs. similar jobs

Forensic Specialist related careers

Forensic Specialist related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Life, Physical, and Social Science Industry
Forensic Specialist
Forensic Specialist vs Forensic Toxicologist

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs