Salary Range

• The average salary for DNA analysts and other forensic science technicians as of May 2009 was $26.47 per hour, or $55,070 per year, as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle 50 percent had salaries of $19.39 to $31.84 per hour, or $40,340 to $66,240 per year. The bottom 10 percent were making up to $15.60 per hour, and the top 10 percent made more than $40.50 per hour, or $84,260 per year and higher.
  
  

Common Employment Types

• The largest numbers of DNA analysts and other forensic science technicians by far work for state and local governments. Average pay rates were similar in both employment settings, with DNA analysts in state government earning $25.51 per hour, or $53,070 per year on average, and in local government $26.38 per hour, or $54,880 per year on average.
  
  

Higher-Paying Opportunities

• Some other types of employment have higher average salaries for DNA analysts and other forensic science technicians, but only a very small number of these professionals work in those industry segments. The average salary for DNA analysts in medical and diagnostic laboratories in 2009 was $27.43 per hour, or $57,060 per year. The federal government was the highest-paying option for DNA analysts, providing an average hourly pay rate of $44.28, equaling $92,100 annually.
  
  

Geography

• The largest concentration of DNA analysts and other forensic science technicians by state or district in 2009 was in the District of Columbia. This region also had the fourth-highest average pay rate by state or district for these workers, at $33.59 per hour, or $69,870 per year. Ranking in the top three spots for average salaries were Massachusetts at $81,950 per year, Wisconsin at $79,080, and Kansas at $73,430.