Criminalists play a key role in solving crimes ranging from burglary to homicide. Furthermore, their findings have the potential to lend credibility to a witness's testimony. A criminalist's salary is variable and contingent on a variety of factors, namely location and employment setting.
Job Description
Criminalists use scientific methods to examine and interpret physical evidence collected from a crime scene. They separate the relevant evidence from the inconsequential and attempt to discern the prevailing circumstances at the time of the crime. Such findings and/or evidence can be used to corroborate a witness's statement; for this reason, it is not uncommon for a criminalist to document his or her findings in a written report and testify in court.
Work Environment
Criminalists often find work in a variety of settings, ranging from a sheriff's office to state and regional agencies. Some are employed by a police department, while others might be affiliated with a college or university. It is not unheard of for a criminalist to work in an attorney's office; some find employment in federal agencies such as the FBI or DEA. Others are employed by private companies.
Education
Prospective criminalists earn, at minimum, a Bachelor's Degree in a physical, biological or forensic science. It is also essential that they fulfill at least 24 semester hours of biology or chemistry, as well as mathematics. An aspiring criminalist should take a plethora of science classes over the course of his or her undergraduate career. Pursuing graduate education----that is, beyond a Bachelor's Degree----might prove beneficial, as it reflects an even stronger aptitude for science. As of now, there is no mandated licensing requirements for criminalists, though a good number elect to become certified by the American Board of Criminalistics.
Salary
The average salary of a criminalist in the United States is $53,000, though this number varies according to location, experience, education and employer. Entry-level criminalists generally earn between $40,000 and $50,000, while those working in a city such as Los Angeles----a large urban area where crime rates are high----can anticipate a starting salary in the vicinity of $58,000. Criminalists who are employed by the federal government, or possess lots of experience, often see higher salaries upward of $94,000.
Job Outlook
Job opportunities for criminalists, such as the broader crime scene investigation field as whole, are projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations; this will be due to the increasing trend on the part of state and local governments to apply forensic science to the examination, solving and prevention of crime.
