Evidence Technician
Impact: Justice System Integrity, Public Safety
Collects, identifies, classifies, and analyzes physical evidence related to criminal investigations. Performs tests on various substances and materials to determine their significance to an investigation. May testify as an expert witness in court regarding evidence or crime laboratory techniques.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Moderate
- Team vs solo
- Team-oriented
- Client facing
- Sometimes
- Impact visibility
- High
- Travel
- Moderate
- Schedule flexibility
- Rigid
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 40
- Stress level
- High
At a glance
- Median salary
- $67,440
- Entry-level
- $55,000
- Senior
- $85,000
- Growth by 2033
- 13% (Much faster than average)
- Demand
- Growing Fast
- Freelance potential
- Low
- Salary growth potential
- High
- Typical student debt
- $25,000 - $40,000
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Forensic Science
- Crime Scene Processing
- Laboratory Analysis
- Photography
- Data Analysis
Soft skills
- Critical Thinking
- Attention to Detail
- Problem Solving
- Communication
- Observation
Technical complexity: High
How to get there
- Minimum education
- Bachelor's Degree
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 5
- Years to senior
- 10
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
Where you can go from here
Typical progression
- Forensic Scientist, Crime Lab Manager, Expert Witness
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- 15% to low risk due to the need for critical thinking, complex analysis, and human judgment in evidence interpretation and court testimony.
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Growing Fast
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 3.5/10
- Meaning
- 4.2/10
- Work-life balance
- 3/10
- Prestige
- 6.5/10
- Social perception
- High