A crime scene investigators salary depends heavily on their educational background, as well as the company or agency in which they work for. According to the BLS, jobs for crime scene investigators are expected to grow faster than average. Most new graduates find employment at the local government level, however, higher salaries are always found at the federal level, working for agencies such as the FBI. CSI’s working for their local government can expect to be paid near the mean annual average of $30,000-$50,000 per year. CSI’s working for the federal government make a significant amount more, averaging over $90,000 per year. But who you work for isn’t the only thing that will affect a crime scene investigators salary. Other factors include:
- Educational degree obtained
- Amount of previous on-the-job training
- Area of interest, subspecialties
- Geographical location
- Hours worked per week
Many times, crime scene investigators work normal Monday through Friday, 40-hour work weeks. However, many times they are ‘on-call’ and must be available 24 hours a day. Generally, if a crime scene investigator works in an area of the country where there are high crime rates, the chances he/she will have to work longer hours, overtime, weekends and holidays greatly increases. And so does the dollar amount in his or her paycheck. When you’re initially getting hired for a position, employers want to know what form of education and training you’ve received previously. Applicants who have done internships and apprenticeships, and have graduated at a graduate level or above have a better chance of getting into a higher position, or has the chance for advancement. Both of these things come with more money.
Annual Salaries by State
Below is a list of the average median salary, according to the BLS, for each State as of 2009.
Alabama | $54,340 |
Alaska | $74,690 |
Arizona | $57,230 |
Arkansas | $51,400 |
California | $80,140 |
Colorado | $72,650 |
Connecticut | $72,750 |
Delaware | $77,960 |
D.C. | $94,620 |
Florida | $63,960 |
Georgia | $53,530 |
Hawaii | $76,640 |
Idaho | $57,260 |
Illinois | $76,360 |
Indiana | $53,350 |
Iowa | $62,890 |
Kansas | $54,780 |
Kentucky | $56,660 |
Louisiana | $51,890 |
Maine | $55,040 |
Maryland | $77,910 |
Massachusetts | $69,980 |
Michigan | $69,970 |
Minnesota | $65,450 |
Mississippi | $47,080 |
Missouri | $54,210 |
Montana | $61,430 |
Nebraska | $58,980 |
Nevada | $70,310 |
New Hampshire | $63,980 |
New Jersey | $85,930 |
New Mexico | $54,650 |
New York | $68,530 |
North Carolina | $48,250 |
North Dakota | $59,160 |
Ohio | $64,220 |
Oklahoma | $51,890 |
Oregon | $68,400 |
Pennsylvania | $68,890 |
Rhode Island | $68,000 |
South Carolina | $51,400 |
South Dakota | $57,280 |
Tennessee | $54,180 |
Texas | $58,720 |
Utah | $62,410 |
Vermont | $62,130 |
Virginia | $77,460 |
Washington | $76,330 |
West Virginia | $49,220 |
Wisconsin | $65,540 |
Wyoming | $61,470 |