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Role hub · Police Identification and Records Officers

Crime Scene Investigator: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.

The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.

Maid DizdarevicCareer coach · 8x LinkedIn Top Voice
Updated Oct 24, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · O*NET 31.0
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Median percentile pay

Half of crime scene investigators earn more than this and half earn less.

Annual
$93,790
Hourly
$45.09
Source
BLS May 2025
Quick answer

Crime Scene Investigators collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints, and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases. The median pay is $93,790 a year ($45.09 an hour) (BLS, May 2025). The most commonly reported education requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent (35% of workers surveyed by O*NET).

Median pay
$93,790
BLS May 2025
Employed in the U.S.
114,430
BLS May 2025
Preparation
Job Zone 3 of 5
medium preparation
Most common education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
35% of workers

Data Government data groups this job as Police Identification and Records Officers (O*NET-SOC 33-3021.02; BLS series “Detectives and Criminal Investigators”). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

Explore the role

Every page for Crime Scene Investigators

SalaryDetectives and Criminal Investigators salary

BLS pay data for this occupation, by state and percentile.

Open →How to becomeCrime Scene Investigator how to become

Education, training and the skills to build first.

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Parsed text, evidence per bullet, fixes first.

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The work

What crime scene investigators do day to day

Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).

  1. Photograph crime or accident scenes for evidence records.
  2. Maintain records of evidence and write and review reports.
  3. Submit evidence to supervisors, crime labs, or court officials for legal proceedings.
  4. Testify in court and present evidence.
  5. Look for trace evidence, such as fingerprints, hairs, fibers, or shoe impressions, using alternative light sources when necessary.
  6. Dust selected areas of crime scene and lift latent fingerprints, adhering to proper preservation procedures.
  7. Analyze and process evidence at crime scenes, during autopsies, or in the laboratory, wearing protective equipment and using powders and chemicals.
  8. Package, store and retrieve evidence.
Skills that matter

Ranked by importance to the job

Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.

Active ListeningcoreSpeakingcoreReading ComprehensioncoreCritical ThinkingWritingSocial PerceptivenessCoordinationComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision Making

Knowledge areas: Law and Government, Administrative, English Language, Public Safety and Security, Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service.

Tools and technology

Software crime scene investigators use

Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.

  • Adobe PhotoshopGraphics or photo imaging softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft VisioProcess mapping and design softwareHot technology
  • Computer aided composite drawing softwareGraphics or photo imaging software
  • DeChant Consulting Services iWitnessGraphics or photo imaging software
  • DesignWare 3D EyeWitnessGraphics or photo imaging software
  • Digital Image Management Solutions Crime SceneGraphics or photo imaging software
  • Eos Systems PhotoModelerGraphics or photo imaging software
  • Image enhancement softwareGraphics or photo imaging software
  • SmartDraw LegalGraphics or photo imaging software
  • The CAD Zone The Crime ZoneGraphics or photo imaging software
  • Trancite Logic Systems ScenePDGraphics or photo imaging software
  • Visual Statement Vista FX3 CSIGraphics or photo imaging software

Also called: Crime Lab Analyst (Crime Laboratory Analyst), Crime Scene Investigator (CSI), Crime Scene Technician, Criminalist, Evidence Technician (Evidence Tech), Field Identification Specialist.

Method

How this page is built

Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the correlation between the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level, subtract the average across all occupations, and correlate the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 or below means unrelated. Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.

What this page can't tell you
  • How a specific employer defines the job.
  • Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
  • Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
Sources
  1. O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).