Forensic Science Salary: A Complete Overview

Forensics is the fastest growing field in today’s world. Since these experts are quite important in mystery solving, their demand is also high. Companies are offering hefty packages to these experts. Because of the competition among the companies for hiring the best qualified candidate, Forensic Scientists are getting benefits. There are various opportunities for these people and they can choose the one they are interested in. Here in this blog, we have given the Forensic Science salary 2024 based on various parameters like experience, education, and specialization.

The salary of these scientists may vary from each other depending on their specializations. For example, DNA Analysts and Ballistics Scientists may earn higher than Forensic Pathologist. Apart from this, if you are working for government agencies you will be paid higher than the people working in private sector agencies. As you grow in your career, your pay will also increase.

Forensic Science Salary Based on Specialization:

In the college itself, the candidates are allowed to choose their specialization based on their interests. You will be required to choose particular subjects from Forensic Science Subject List. Here we have mentioned the salary that you will be receiving according to the specialization:

• Forensic Scientist: These are the experts who use science and technology to examine the evidence, analyze the crime sites, and make inferences regarding the crime. These experts play an important role in delivering justice as they testify in the court of law citing their scientific explanations. They analyze the evidence collected from the crime site, for example, fingerprints, DNA samples, etc. Forensic Scientists can expect a starting salary of Rs. 6 Lakhs per annum.
• Forensic Psychologist: These experts conduct the one-to-one sessions with the victims and the culprits and try to dig into their personalities. They study the psychological behavior of the offender to understand what circumstances led him to commit a crime. These people try to fix the mental trauma of victims by having conversations with them. Apart from this they also try to understand the mental status of offenders and investigate their psychological behavior to ensure they do not commit the crimes again. The average salary of forensic psychologists varies from Rs 90,000 to 2.5 Lakhs per annum.
• Drug Analyst: These experts analyze the drugs involved in the criminal case. They first screen the drug, examine its chemical composition, and then give the confirmation for the same. To examine the drug they carry out tests like spectroscopy, etc. They also conduct tests for illegal drugs obtained in trafficking and maintain a database of the same. As they are confined to the laboratory their salary revolves around Rs 4 to 5 Lakhs per annum.
• Crime Laboratory Analyst: They conduct laboratory tests to examine the body of the deceased and the samples collected from the crime site to get the required evidence. These people collect, examine, and record the evidence that can be used in the investigation of the crime. Their average salary lies between Rs 7 to 10 Lakhs per annum.
• Crime Scene Examiner: These professionals examine, analyze, and collect the physical evidence by examining the crime scenes. They collect all the suspicious substances present at the crime site that have the potential to be evidence. These substances include fingerprints, blood stains, hair, semen samples, etc. Crime scene examiners get a starting salary of Rs 5 Lakhs per annum in India. Based on their experience they are hired to senior positions and hence get higher pay.
• Forensic Anthropologist: These people particularly deal with the skeletal remains of humans and animals. They examine the skeleton and try to determine the age, gender, and cause of death of the deceased. The average salary of a forensic anthropologist is Rs 4 Lakhs per annum.
• Forensic Pathologist: These experts are specialized in identifying the cause of death of the deceased. To know this they conduct various laboratory tests like microscopic analysis, etc. They examine the wounds of the deceased and speculate the expected time of death thus help in crime investigation. They get a salary of about Rs 8 Lakhs per annum.
• Forensic IT Specialist: These experts majorly deal with the electronic equipment and information technology part. In case of damaged electronic evidence, they recover the data from such sources and dig out the evidence on the offender’s and victim’s electronic media like mobile phone, laptop, and computer. They examine the social media accounts of the offenders and the victims to establish links between them. Their pay ranges from Rs 4 to 6 Lakhs per annum.
• Crime Reporter: These experts specialize in journalism and reporting. They cover news stories related to criminal activities and the judicial system. They gather the relevant information about the crime and inform the general public about the same. These people get a salary of Rs 4.5 Lakhs per annum on average.
• Forensic Toxicologists: They particularly deal with poisonous substances. They examine the body fluids to determine the presence of drugs and intoxicating agents in the person’s body. They examine the presence of drugs, alcohol, poison, etc. thus helps in the case investigation. Their salary ranges from Rs 3 to 20 Lakhs per annum depending on their experience.
• Forensic Accountant:These specialists deal with the crimes involving the finances of a company. They investigate financial fraud using their skills and knowledge. Their average salary ranges from Rs 4 to 10 Lakhs per annum depending on their experience.
• Forensic Odontologists:The experts who analyze the dental evidence to identify the people involved in the crime. They identify the offenders based on the dental records and impressions. Their salary ranges from Rs 4 to 7 Lakhs per annum.

Forensic Science Salary in Private and Government Sector:

The salary slab for forensic scientists is different in private and government sectors for the same profiles. However, the variation in the salary slab also depends on the experience, educational qualification, and location of the company. Here we have mentioned the salary packages for all the Branches of Forensic Science for both sectors.

Serial No.	Profiles	Government Sector (Per Annum)	Private Sector(Per Annum)
1.	Forensic Scientist	8 to 18 Lakhs	6 to 10 Lakhs
2.	Forensic Psychologist	4 to 12 Lakhs	90K to 2.5 Lakhs
3.	Drug Analyst	5 to 14 Lakhs	4 to 5 Lakhs
4.	Crime Laboratory Analyst	8 to 15 Lakhs	7 to 10 Lakhs
5.	Crime Scene Examiner	5 to 15 Lakhs	5 to 8 Lakhs
6.	Forensic Anthropologist	5 to 12 Lakhs	3 to 6 Lakhs
7.	Forensic Pathologist	8 to 20 Lakhs	6 to 10 Lakhs
8.	Forensic IT Specialist	5 to 10 Lakhs	4 to 6 Lakhs
9.	Crime Reporter	3 to 7 Lakhs	2 to 5 Lakhs
10.	Forensic Toxicologist	3 to 10 Lakhs	3 to 20 Lakhs
11.	Forensic Accountant	4 to 12 Lakhs	4 to 10 Lakhs
12.	Forensic Odontologists	5 to 15 Lakhs	4 to 7 Lakhs

Top Government Recruiters of Forensic Scientists:

There are so many companies that are hiring forensic graduates and offering good opportunities to the candidates. Some of the best government recruiters are mentioned below:

• Intelligence Bureau,
• Government Forensic Sciences Labs,
• Government Hospitals,
• Police Department,
• Quality Control Bureau,
• Banks like State Bank of India,
• Reserve Bank of India,
• Government Universities,
• Defense,
• CBI,
• Income tax Departments,
• State medical colleges.

Also Read: What Forensic Scientists Do?

Top Private Recruiters of Forensic Scientists:

The demand for forensic experts is high in India and abroad. Candidates often get campus placement after completing their graduation. Some of the top private recruiters are mentioned below:

• Private Detective Agencies,
• Cellmark Forensics,
• Illumina INC.,
• Life Technologies CO.,
• Promega CO.,
• PerkinElmer INC.,
• Sorenson Forensics,
• Private Law Firms.

Forensic Science Salary Based On Experience:

The salary of these experts varies depending on the experience they have in their respective fields. After a few years of gaining experience, they earn higher than a fresher and this hike continues till they work. Salary based on the experience is as follows:

Serial No.	Experience	Salary (Per Annum)
1.	Entry-level (0-5 Years)	Rs. 240,000 – 5,00,000
2.	Mid-career (5-10 Years)	Rs. 5,00,000 – 9,50,000
3.	Experienced (10-20 Years)	Rs. 8,00,000 – 12,00,000
4.	Late-career (more than 20 Years)	More than Rs. 10,00,000

Factors Affecting Forensic Science Salary:

The salary of forensic experts varies depending on various factors. The factors that affect the salaries of these people are given below:

• Educational Qualification: Candidates with higher education are preferred more and hence they get higher salaries. A company prefers to hire a candidate with a master’s degree and not one with a bachelor’s degree, as the person with a master’s degree has more knowledge.
• Specialization: Forensic Science has a wide range of specializations, for example, Crime investigator, DNA analysis, Toxicologists, etc. While crime reporters get less salary, crime investigators get a higher package.
• Experience: When a candidate starts his professional career he gets a low salary while after working for a few years and gaining enough experience, they are offered high packages.

References:

• https://collegedunia.com/courses/forensic-science/forensic-science-salary-in-india
• https://www.collegesearch.in/articles/forensic-science-salary
• https://timespro.com/blog/forensic-science-salary-in-india-best-positions-and-pay-available
• https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/forensic-scientist

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