Follow these steps to start your career in this field. How to become a forensic scientistīecoming a forensic scientist requires first obtaining certain skills, training and education. A forensic scientist's specialization can also influence how much they earn. Average salary for forensic scientistsįorensic scientists earn an average salary of $66,981 per year, but this figure can vary depending on factors such as education, experience level and location. Forensic science may require you to work overtime hours and undertake some travel. You may also conduct psychological evaluations of both victims and perpetrators. Depending on your specialization, you will do investigative work at crime scenes, assess the evidence in a laboratory and perform autopsies. What does a forensic scientist do?Ī forensic scientist can specialize in many different areas, which will determine what they do on a daily basis. In this article, we'll review what a forensic scientist does and how to become one. They may conduct their investigation at the crime scene or assess the evidence in a laboratory, write detailed reports on their findings and testify in court about the matter, if necessary. Using the clues they find, they try to uncover further details and figure out what happened in cases related to civil, criminal and regulatory matters. Forensic scientists work with law enforcement personnel and the justice system to study physical, biological, chemical and psychological evidence for crimes.