What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Forensic Science Technicians in the U.S. earn more than $72,060 a year — the middle 80% land between $48,250 and $117,250. About 19,120 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Forensic Science Technicians”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$72,060typical pay / year
19,120people in this work
$117,250+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing3
Reconstruct crime scenes
+Reconstruct the kitchen-scene timeline from swabs, footprints and blood spatter photos, map the entry and…
Reconstruct crime scenes
+Reconstruct the kitchen-scene timeline from swabs, footprints and blood spatter photos, map the entry and exit paths, and produce a step-by-step scene narrative for the lead detective and prosecutor before the evidentiary planning meeting on Tuesday.
The tools that do the workComputer aided design and drafting CADDMicrosoft Visiojob descriptionsO*NET
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Examine and analyze blood stain patterns
+Document and measure each bloodstain at the scene, photograph with scale, map pattern locations, take angle…
Examine and analyze blood stain patterns
+Document and measure each bloodstain at the scene, photograph with scale, map pattern locations, take angle and area measurements, collect substrate samples, record chain-of-custody, then produce a written pattern analysis noting origin, mechanism, and uncertainty by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft VisioMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
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Perform tests on weapons or substances
+Isolate and prepare trace and contact samples from the seized weapon or substance, run presumptive and…
Perform tests on weapons or substances
+Isolate and prepare trace and contact samples from the seized weapon or substance, run presumptive and confirmatory assays, log reagent and instrument settings, photograph macroscopic findings, and write a lab report with results and recommended follow-up within 48 hours.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
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Fixing1
Operate and maintain laboratory equipment
+Perform preventive maintenance and calibration on the PCR thermocycler and spectrophotometer today, run…
Operate and maintain laboratory equipment
+Perform preventive maintenance and calibration on the PCR thermocycler and spectrophotometer today, run control samples to verify performance, log serial numbers and calibration data, flag any out-of-spec readings and schedule repairs before next case batch.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptionsO*NET
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Get approval1
Testify as expert witnesses in court
+Prepare a courtroom folder: summarize methods and chain-of-custody for the case, assemble annotated photos,…
Testify as expert witnesses in court
+Prepare a courtroom folder: summarize methods and chain-of-custody for the case, assemble annotated photos, control data, and a clear explanation of limitations, rehearse answers to expected cross-examination points, and deliver the binder to the prosecutor two days before the hearing.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft PowerPointjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work13
Train new technicians in forensic techniques
+Train the new technicians next Tuesday in sample handling, chain-of-custody, contamination control and basic…
Train new technicians in forensic techniques
+Train the new technicians next Tuesday in sample handling, chain-of-custody, contamination control and basic serology workflows, run practical drills on pipetting and centrifuge use, review PPE checks, and sign competency checklists before they work case samples.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
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Review forensic reports for technical merit
+Review the attached case reports for technical merit, verify sample IDs, controls, instrument calibration…
Review forensic reports for technical merit
+Review the attached case reports for technical merit, verify sample IDs, controls, instrument calibration records and reagent lot numbers, note any deviations from validated protocols, and return annotated reports with required corrective actions to the case investigator within three business days.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
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Compare objects and impression marks
+Compare the plaster cast, tire tread cast and questioned shoeprint side-by-side, document distinctive…
Compare objects and impression marks
+Compare the plaster cast, tire tread cast and questioned shoeprint side-by-side, document distinctive striations and wear patterns with measurement annotations, photograph the key features at scale, and prepare a written comparison stating degrees of association for the case file.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft VisioMicrosoft PowerPointjob descriptionsO*NET
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Examine firearms to determine mechanical condition and legal status, performing restoration work on damaged firearms to obtain information, such as serial numbers.
+Examine the recovered firearm to record mechanical condition, test fire if safe, check for obliterated serial…
Examine firearms to determine mechanical condition and legal status, performing restoration work on damaged firearms to obtain information, such as serial numbers.
+Examine the recovered firearm to record mechanical condition, test fire if safe, check for obliterated serial numbers and perform restoration techniques to reveal markings, document tools and chemicals used, and deliver a forensic opinion on operability and legal status to the investigator within seven days.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordO*NET
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Create photographic and sketch-based documentation
+Create photographic and sketch documentation of the crime scene evidence: capture high-resolution scale…
Create photographic and sketch-based documentation
+Create photographic and sketch documentation of the crime scene evidence: capture high-resolution scale photos, produce measured sketches showing evidence locations and orientations, annotate photos with scale and lighting notes, and compile a print-ready evidence packet for court.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft VisioMicrosoft Wordjob descriptions
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Operate digital media analysis tools
+Process the seized storage device to extract timestamps, file system metadata and user artifacts on an…
Operate digital media analysis tools
+Process the seized storage device to extract timestamps, file system metadata and user artifacts on an isolated workstation, preserve a verified forensic image, document the toolchain and hash values, and provide a summarized timeline and deliverable image file to the digital crimes unit within five business days.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptions
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Wear appropriate protective gear
+Put on the lab coat, nitrile gloves, eye protection, surgical mask and shoe covers before entering the…
Wear appropriate protective gear
+Put on the lab coat, nitrile gloves, eye protection, surgical mask and shoe covers before entering the evidence room; check glove integrity, confirm coat is clean, lock long hair back and sign the PPE log with time and initials.
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Calibrate laboratory equipment
+Warm up the spectrophotometer to manufacturer operating temperature, run the standard calibration block,…
Calibrate laboratory equipment
+Warm up the spectrophotometer to manufacturer operating temperature, run the standard calibration block, record pre- and post-calibration readings in the instrument log, adjust the calibration curve until standards read within tolerance, then initial and date the calibration certificate.
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Support life science professionals
+Join the clinical team meeting, review current sample handling constraints and biosafety limits, advise on…
Support life science professionals
+Join the clinical team meeting, review current sample handling constraints and biosafety limits, advise on appropriate preservation media and transport conditions for next three field collections, and draft a one-page guidance to hand to the field biologists by Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordESCO
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Record test sequences
+Record the full run sequence for today’s instrument: sample IDs, reagent lot numbers, start and end times,…
Record test sequences
+Record the full run sequence for today’s instrument: sample IDs, reagent lot numbers, start and end times, temperature log anomalies, and operator initials; save the sequence as a dated protocol record and attach it to case 2026-112 before leaving the lab.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCO
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Prepare samples for testing
+Prepare ten swab samples from evidence kit 6543 following the validated extraction workflow, label each tube…
Prepare samples for testing
+Prepare ten swab samples from evidence kit 6543 following the validated extraction workflow, label each tube with case number and aliquot number, verify centrifuge speeds and reagent volumes, and place the frozen aliquots in the -80°C rack labeled HOLD.
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Laboratory techniques
+Perform calibration checks on the spectrophotometer and micropipettes before this morning’s assays, record…
Laboratory techniques
+Perform calibration checks on the spectrophotometer and micropipettes before this morning’s assays, record calibration values and any adjustments made, certify the instruments for today’s batch, and sign the equipment log in the maintenance folder.
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Operate scientific measuring equipment
+Operate the qPCR thermocycler for run 07: set the thermal profile, verify sample plate layout against the…
Operate scientific measuring equipment
+Operate the qPCR thermocycler for run 07: set the thermal profile, verify sample plate layout against the manifest, monitor fluorescence reads during amplification, note any instrument errors, and export the amplification curves to the case folder after completion.
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Says who?
These are the pages we read to build this. Open any of them and check us.
The logs, files & records this job keeps
Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.
Related careers
Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.
The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses