Crime Scene Investigator Salary…
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n order to ensure long-term success as a crime scene investigator, it’s helpful to have an understanding how the job market operates in different regions of the country.
Some of the best states for being employed as a criminal scene investigator include New Jersey, Delaware, California, Maryland and DC. Some of the other states where criminal investigators earn a higher annual salary includes Virginia, Alaska, Connecticut and Illinois as well.
The crime scene investigator salary is typically the highest when working in the state of New Jersey, the average annual salary in the state gets as high as $85,780 per year. The second highest annual salary, usually around $80,000, is held by the state California. Needless to say, in addition to location, finding the right school and getting a degree plays a large role.
The Edison/Brunswick area in New Jersey, and the Oakwood-Fremont-Hayward division and city of Salinas in California are some of the highest earning areas in the entire country for criminal investigators.
The states of California and Florida have some of most employed criminal investigators in the country; D.C and Arizona have the highest concentration of forensic technicians in the country.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for forensic science technicians is around $55,000 per year, or approximately $26 an hour. The top ten percent of the crime scene investigator salary in the country is close to $85,000 per year.
The lower ten percent of the crime scene investigator salary is around $33,000 per year. The crime scene investigator salary for people that work with local and state governments earn around $54,000 per year. Investigators that work for the federal government earn upward towards $95,000 annually.
The U.S BLS currently projects a 22 percent increase in the employment rate for criminal scene investigators, at least through the year 2020. The job market for this profession is expected to outpace the national average by around five percent. One of the top employers for criminal scene investigators are the local governments and municipalities across the country.
Surprisingly enough, some of the forensics technicians are able to earn over $60,000 per year by working for the local authorities.
There are agencies that will accept high graduates, however in order to be truly successful for the long-term working as a CSI, a bachelor’s degree should be the minimum level of education. The highest paying industries for CSIs include the executive branch of the federal government, diagnostic and medical labs and insurance carriers as well.
A master’s degree is the route to take for longevity in this field; any necessary on the job training is usually provided by the employing agency. Aspiring students will benefit by familiarize themselves with the resources available through the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.