What are the main factors that influence a Forensic Specialist's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Forensic Specialist's salary?

A Forensic Specialist's salary grows with experience: a Forensic Specialist (0-0 years)earns $77,654, a Police Sergeant (0-5 years)earns $85,403, a Police Lieutenant (5+ years)earns $109,614, a Sheriff/Police Chief (5-10 years)earns $133,458,

What are the highest paying states for a Forensic Specialist?

Forensic Specialist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Forensic Specialist roles are District of Columbia $86,922, California $86,592, Massachusetts $85,438. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Forensic Specialist roles make?

Salaries for Forensic Specialist level roles vary by specialization: forensic psychiatry: $258,896; Forensic Psychiatrist: $256,341; Forensic Engineer: $94,667; Forensic Interviewer: $75,154; Forensic Photographer: $67,535.

How do different companies affect a Forensic Specialist's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Forensic Specialist roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Forensic Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Forensic Specialist make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Forensic Specialist in the United States is $78,506 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $38.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $100,627
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $70,581 to $90,085
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $63,365

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Forensic Specialist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$90,085	$7,507	$1,732	$43
Average	$78,506	$6,542	$1,510	$38
25th Percentile	$70,581	$5,882	$1,357	$34

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Key Factors That Influence Forensic Specialist Salaries

A Forensic Specialist'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Forensic Specialist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Forensic Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $86,922.
California: $86,592.
Massachusetts: $85,438.

District of Columbia $86,922 California $86,592 Massachusetts $85,438 Washington $85,124 New Jersey $85,093 Alaska $84,983 Connecticut $83,899 New York $83,460

Hawaii $82,054 Rhode Island $81,395 Maryland $80,947 Minnesota $80,335 Colorado $80,100 Illinois $80,021 Oregon $79,723 Delaware $79,503

New Hampshire $79,365 Virginia $79,055 Pennsylvania $78,153 Nevada $77,697 North Dakota $77,548 Michigan $77,313 Wisconsin $77,226 Vermont $77,054

Texas $76,575 Maine $76,543 Arizona $76,496 Ohio $76,441 Georgia $75,719 Indiana $75,358 Wyoming $75,287 Utah $75,177

Iowa $75,130 Kansas $74,753 Louisiana $74,643 North Carolina $74,604 Missouri $74,588 Florida $74,282 Montana $74,117 Nebraska $73,960

Kentucky $73,874 South Carolina $73,560 Tennessee $73,364 Idaho $73,285 New Mexico $72,712 Oklahoma $72,587 Alabama $72,123 South Dakota $71,346

Arkansas $70,922 West Virginia $70,695 Mississippi $70,012

Top Paying Cities for Forensic Specialists

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: $99,019
San Francisco: $97,935
Oakland: $95,871

San Jose, CA $99,019

San Francisco, CA $97,935

Oakland, CA $95,871

New York, NY $90,391

Paramus, NJ $89,292

Queens Village, NY $89,288

Passaic, NJ $89,213

Bergenfield, NJ $89,206

Stamford, CT $89,034

Huntington, NY $89,001

Newark, NJ $88,421

Bridgeport, CT $88,256

Vallejo, CA $88,099

New Brunswick, NJ $88,068

Petaluma, CA $88,021

Middlesex, NJ $87,872

Somerset, NJ $87,817

Santa Cruz, CA $87,715

Boston, MA $87,236

Monterey, CA $86,960

Seattle, WA $86,780

Santa Rosa, CA $86,765

Los Angeles, CA $86,741

Juneau, AK $86,537

Washington, DC $86,451

Orange, CA $86,171

Santa Ana, CA $85,964

Long Beach, CA $85,885

Anaheim, CA $85,870

Anchorage, AK $85,831

Santa Maria, CA $85,595

Everett, WA $85,579

Danbury, CT $85,303

Bremerton, WA $85,195

Tacoma, WA $84,912

New Suffolk, NY $84,910

Sacramento, CA $84,888

Santa Barbara, CA $84,802

Trenton, NJ $84,716

San Diego, CA $84,716

Brockton, MA $84,629

Fairbanks, AK $84,437

Lompoc, CA $84,237

Lowell, MA $84,173

Ventura, CA $84,158

Nashua, NH $84,143

Stockton, CA $84,135

Modesto, CA $83,562

Poughkeepsie, NY $83,389

Olympia, WA $83,240

Kennewick, WA $83,240

New Haven, CT $83,208

Lawrence, MA $82,926

Hartford, CT $82,847

Riverside, CA $82,832

New Bedford, MA $82,753

Richland, WA $82,753

Bakersfield, CA $82,643

San Bernardino, CA $82,612

New Britain, CT $82,604

Atlantic City, NJ $82,604

New London, CT $82,573

Norwich, CT $82,549

Portsmouth, NH $82,533

Boulder, CO $82,367

Portland, OR $82,258

Worcester, MA $82,251

Minneapolis, MN $82,007

Philadelphia, PA $81,897

Honolulu, HI $81,638

Saint Paul, MN $81,601

Vineland, NJ $81,583

Providence, RI $81,356

Chicago, IL $81,128

Bellingham, WA $81,034

Springfield, MA $80,971

Baltimore, MD $80,947

Chico, CA $80,751

Pittsfield, MA $80,539

Manchester, NH $80,390

Spokane, WA $80,045

Denver, CO $80,037

Albany, NY $79,668

Troy, NY $79,636

Nassau, NY $79,552

Schenectady, NY $79,472

Wilmington, DE $79,409

Burlington, VT $79,299

Salem, OR $79,267

Portland, ME $79,024

Yakima, WA $78,946

Rochester, MN $78,702

Reno, NV $78,663

Fresno, CA $78,663

Milwaukee, WI $78,592

Detroit, MI $78,514

Ann Arbor, MI $78,500

Allentown, PA $78,490

Colorado Springs, CO $78,357

Syracuse, NY $78,317

Carson City, NV $78,317

Houston, TX $78,208

Eugene, OR $78,168

Gary, IN $78,074

Springfield, OR $78,011

Bismarck, ND $77,996

Galveston, TX $77,941

Medford, OR $77,823

Fort Collins, CO $77,791

Concord, NH $77,752

Austin, TX $77,729

Mesa, AZ $77,564

Reading, PA $77,556

Phoenix, AZ $77,548

Dallas, TX $77,525

Saint Cloud, MN $77,449

Madison, WI $77,344

Utica, NY $77,132

Rochester, NY $77,006

Des Moines, IA $76,999

Raleigh, NC $76,991

Atlanta, GA $76,873

Battle Creek, MI $76,849

Salt Lake City, UT $76,826

Lancaster, PA $76,708

Harrisburg, PA $76,598

Kansas City, MO $76,520

Champaign, IL $76,504

Kansas City, KS $76,504

Fort Worth, TX $76,496

Columbus, OH $76,483

Boca Raton, FL $76,465

Pittsburgh, PA $76,433

Richmond, VA $76,402

Indianapolis, IN $76,386

Cleveland, OH $76,378

Las Vegas, NV $76,284

Cincinnati, OH $76,284

Petersburg, VA $76,166

Huntsville, AL $76,049

Lansing, MI $75,996

Lebanon, PA $75,986

Pueblo, CO $75,978

Appleton, WI $75,954

Buffalo, NY $75,923

Dayton, OH $75,900

Racine, WI $75,884

Charlotte, NC $75,876

Saint Louis, MO $75,852

York, PA $75,805

Elkhart, IN $75,805

Gastonia, NC $75,790

Billings, MT $75,772

Beaumont, TX $75,750

Lorain, OH $75,735

Benton Harbor, MI $75,719

Toledo, OH $75,703

Binghamton, NY $75,664

Rock Hill, SC $75,656

Rockford, IL $75,617

Springfield, IL $75,585

Elyria, OH $75,578

Fargo, ND $75,578

Flagstaff, AZ $75,523

Fort Lauderdale, FL $75,476

Duluth, MN $75,428

Miami, FL $75,428

Cheyenne, WY $75,374

Grand Forks, ND $75,374

Bangor, ME $75,201

Cedar Rapids, IA $75,114

Durham, NC $75,081

Louisville, KY $75,075

Grand Rapids, MI $75,059

Hialeah, FL $75,052

Casper, WY $74,942

Scranton, PA $74,848

New Orleans, LA $74,824

Virginia Beach, VA $74,816

Akron, OH $74,777

Peoria, IL $74,675

Sarasota, FL $74,659

Nashville, TN $74,604

Omaha, NE $74,604

Green Bay, WI $74,604

Baton Rouge, LA $74,565

Charleston, SC $74,549

Jamestown, NY $74,510

Davenport, IA $74,510

Tucson, AZ $74,471

Saint Petersburg, FL $74,424

Tampa, FL $74,408

Evansville, IN $74,361

Port Arthur, TX $74,361

Bradenton, FL $74,329

Santa Fe, NM $74,188

Orlando, FL $74,047

Clearwater, FL $74,023

Canton, OH $73,858

La Crosse, WI $73,858

Albuquerque, NM $73,811

Newport News, VA $73,803

High Point, NC $73,780

Ogden, UT $73,748

Corpus Christi, TX $73,686

Norfolk, VA $73,639

Laramie, WY $73,639

Rock Island, IL $73,591

Saginaw, MI $73,576

Jacksonville, FL $73,568

Salisbury, NC $73,552

Boise, ID $73,536

Moline, IL $73,497

Fort Myers, FL $73,474

Memphis, TN $73,458

Tulsa, OK $73,419

Waterloo, IA $73,372

Spartanburg, SC $73,293

Lincoln, NE $73,254

Fort Wayne, IN $73,238

Provo, UT $73,230

Cedar Falls, IA $73,136

San Antonio, TX $73,105

Greensboro, NC $73,073

South Bend, IN $73,065

Savannah, GA $72,979

Muskegon, MI $72,948

Birmingham, AL $72,940

Winston Salem, NC $72,901

Lake Charles, LA $72,712

Anderson, IN $72,696

Lexington, KY $72,673

Augusta, GA $72,649

Greenville, SC $72,649

Lima, OH $72,587

Wichita, KS $72,579

Tuscaloosa, AL $72,579

Columbia, SC $72,508

Springfield, OH $72,492

Asheville, NC $72,367

Bloomington, IN $72,312

Knoxville, TN $72,029

Shreveport, LA $72,021

Wilmington, NC $71,919

Roanoke, VA $71,919

Topeka, KS $71,778

Frankfort, KY $71,769

Oklahoma City, OK $71,715

Chillicothe, OH $71,684

Longview, TX $71,676

Melbourne, FL $71,668

Sioux Falls, SD $71,542

Mobile, AL $71,535

Terre Haute, IN $71,503

Altoona, PA $71,456

Amarillo, TX $71,401

Killeen, TX $71,378

Fayetteville, AR $71,315

Chattanooga, TN $71,291

Sioux City, IA $71,221

Idaho Falls, ID $71,205

Lynchburg, VA $71,142

Gainesville, FL $71,040

Portsmouth, OH $71,001

Little Rock, AR $70,985

Lafayette, LA $70,954

Youngstown, OH $70,954

Daytona Beach, FL $70,907

Clarksville, TN $70,899

Pensacola, FL $70,891

Temple, TX $70,885

Hopkinsville, KY $70,655

Erie, PA $70,640

Florence, SC $70,608

Charleston, WV $70,483

Great Falls, MT $70,443

Macon, GA $70,333

Tallahassee, FL $70,326

Fayetteville, NC $70,310

Waco, TX $70,294

Helena, MT $70,239

Pine Bluff, AR $70,209

Vincennes, IN $70,114

Lubbock, TX $70,082

Alamogordo, NM $70,035

Twin Falls, ID $69,964

Rapid City, SD $69,941

Jackson, MS $69,800

Huntington, WV $69,794

Greenville, MS $69,792

Parkersburg, WV $69,712

Montgomery, AL $69,698

Wichita Falls, TX $69,619

Springfield, MO $69,619

Biloxi, MS $69,580

Monroe, LA $69,501

Johnstown, PA $69,446

Sumter, SC $69,415

Columbus, GA $69,407

Pascagoula, MS $69,258

Abilene, TX $69,258

Kingsport, TN $69,054

Albany, GA $69,054

Gulfport, MS $69,030

Alexandria, LA $68,771

Fort Smith, AR $68,575

El Paso, TX $68,363

Las Cruces, NM $68,010

Harlingen, TX $67,810

Pocatello, ID $67,798

Florence, AL $67,696

Brownsville, TX $67,680

Mcallen, TX $67,515

Dothan, AL $67,405

Columbus, MS $66,939

Altus, OK $66,573

Lawton, OK $66,424

Pierre, SD $66,141

What Skills Can Increase a Forensic Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 5.02% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Forensics (Mentioned in 2.98% Job Postings): Forensics is a scientific tests or techniques used in connection with the detection of crime. Use of analytical and scientific techniques to examine evidence from crimes and prepare legal statements that summarize the results for court cases.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.35% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	5.02%
Forensics	2.98%
Microsoft Office	1.35%

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 Specialist's salary.

Due Diligence: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Prioritization: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Due Diligence	$87,142	11%
Prioritization	$84,001	7%
Consulting	$83,216	6%
Cost Control	$83,216	6%
AML	$82,431	5%
Analysis	$81,646	4%

Get Latest Data

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

Understanding how a Forensic Specialist'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 May 01, 2026

$70,581

Average $78,506/year

$90,085

$5,882

Average $6,542/month

$7,507

$1,357

Average $1,510/week

$1,732

$34

Average $38/hour

$43

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$90,085	$7,507	$1,732	$43
Average	$78,506	$6,542	$1,510	$38
25th Percentile	$70,581	$5,882	$1,357	$34

Salaries of jobs related to Forensic Specialist

Salary Trends for Forensic Specialist

Salaries for a Forensic Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $91,180 in 2023 to around $90,132 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Forensic Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Forensic Specialist Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$91,180

2024

$91,047

2025

$90,132

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$91,180
2024	$91,047
2025	$90,132
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Forensic Specialist

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