Forensic Pathologist Salary in Poway, CA

How much does a Forensic Pathologist make in Poway, CA?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Forensic Pathologist in Poway, CA is $356,224 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $171.

However, a Forensic Pathologist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $427,985
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $334,164 to $393,786
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $314,079
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View as table View as graph 25% $334,164 10% $314,079 90% $427,985 75% $393,786 $356,224 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Forensic Pathologist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $393,786 $32,816 $7,573 $189
Average $356,224 $29,685 $6,850 $171
25th Percentile $334,164 $27,847 $6,426 $161
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Key Factors That Influence Forensic Pathologist Salaries

A Forensic Pathologist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Forensic Pathologist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Forensic Pathologist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $344,920
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $346,502
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $348,084
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $350,299
  • Expert (over 8 years): $356,224
Levels Salary
Entry Level Forensic Pathologist$344,920
Intermediate Level Forensic Pathologist$346,502
Senior Level Forensic Pathologist$348,084
Specialist Level Forensic Pathologist$350,299
Expert Level Forensic Pathologist$356,224
$344,920 0 yr
$346,502 < 2 yrs
$348,084 2-4 yrs
$350,299 5-8 yrs
$356,224 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Forensic Pathologists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $418,141
  • San Francisco: $413,563
  • Oakland: $404,847

What Skills Can Increase a Forensic Pathologist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 4.06% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Acute Care (Mentioned in 4.27% Job Postings): Acute care is a branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery. In medical terms, care for acute health conditions is the opposite from chronic care, or longer term care. Acute care services are generally delivered by teams of health care professionals from a range of medical and surgical specialties. Acute care may require a stay in a hospital emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, urgent care centre or other short-term stay facility, along with the assistance of diagnostic services, surgery, or follow-up outpatient care in the community. Hospital-based acute inpatient care typically has the goal of discharging patients as soon as they are deemed healthy and stable. Acute care settings include emergency department, intensive care, coronary care, cardiology, neonatal intensive care, and many general areas where the patient could become acutely unwell and require stabilization and transfer to another higher dependency unit for further treatment.
  • Medical Education (Mentioned in 2.97% Job Postings): Medical education is a course of study directed toward imparting knowledge and skills required for the prevention and treatment of diseases to persons seeking to become physicians.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 4.06%
Acute Care 4.27%
Medical Education 2.97%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Forensic Pathologist's salary.
  • Interpersonal Relationships: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Customer Service: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Medical Services: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Interpersonal Relationships
$384,722
8%
Customer Service
$381,160
7%
Medical Services
$381,160
7%
Commitment
$381,160
7%
Communication Skills
$377,597
6%
Verbal Communication
$374,035
5%
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Forensic Pathologist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Forensic Pathologist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Healthcare and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Forensic Pathologist positions in Pharmaceuticals or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Forensic Pathologist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Forensic Pathologist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$445,280$214.025%
Biotechnology$391,846$188.010%

Forensic Pathologist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Forensic Pathologist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026

Find Your Next Forensic Pathologist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Forensic Pathologist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Corovan Corporation

    Poway, CA

    Corovan Corporation | Poway, CA

    Mover I. $18.00 - $20.03 / hour. This position is subject to pre-employment drug testing and criminal background checks, which include 4-year employment ve... more

    5 Days Ago

  • Senior Helpers

    Poway, CA

    Senior Helpers | Poway, CA

    Compassionate Caregivers/Home Care Aides Wanted. We are currently seeking compassionate and reliable Caregivers/Home Care Aides to join our growing team. I... more

    5 Days Ago

  • Neighborhood Healthcare

    Poway, CA

    Neighborhood Healthcare | Poway, CA

    Medical Assistant- Behavioral Health. Community health is about more than just vaccines and checkups. It's about giving people the resources they need to l... more

    5 Days Ago

  • Amazon

    Poway, CA

    Amazon | Poway, CA

    Amazon needs you as a flex job Representative (Work From Home) to help their mission of making customers lives easier. If you are looking for outstanding p... more

    5 Days Ago

  • Senior Helpers

    Poway, CA

    Senior Helpers | Poway, CA

    Caregiver. If you have a passion for helping seniors live safely and comfortably at home, we would love to hear from you. As a caregiver, you will provide ... more

    5 Days Ago

  • Catalyst

    Poway, CA

    Catalyst | Poway, CA

    Our team is looking for a dedicated Entry Level Team Member to join our team.This role is perfect for individuals who enjoy working with customers, support... more

    5 Days Ago

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