Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Salary

Updated: 1 Jun 2012
United States » Job » Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Overview » Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Salary
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National Salary Data

National Salary Data

 (?
XAll compensation data shown are gross, national 10th to 90th percentile ranges. Pay can vary greatly by location. To view local data, take the PayScale survey.
)
$0$26K$52K$78K
Salary$23,966 - $70,000  
   
Bonus$0.00 - $5,068  
Total Pay (?
XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).
)
$22,349 - $75,139  
PayScale
Country: United States | Currency: USD | Updated: 1 Jun 2012 | Individuals Reporting: 60
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Companies and Industries for Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Salaries

Popular Industries

Salary Range

Law Enforcement$28,572 - $78,532
Local Government$28,968 - $78,412
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key statistics
Key Statistics for Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Salaries and Jobs

Gender
Female
60%
female alumni
 
Male
40%
male alumni
Salary:$28,486 - $39,305 $36,537 - $68,784
Years of Experience
Less than 1 year
23%
1-4 years
52%
5-9 years
12%
10-19 years
10%
20 years or more
3%
Most Common Health Benefits
medical benefits Medical: 83% dental benefits Dental: 69%
vision benefits Vision: 48% employee benefits None: 17%

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Salary Map for Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Jobs

Top Cities by Popularity for Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Jobs

Top Cities by Popularity


sample job description
Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Job Description

People with the job title Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) typically fall into one of the following PayScale standard occupations.

Investigate alleged or suspected criminal violations of Federal, state, or local laws to determine if evidence is sufficient to recommend prosecution.

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FAQs on Salaries for Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Jobs

Salary of Crime Scene Investigator

The popularity of the TV show CSI launched crime scene investigation into the minds of thousands of faithful viewers. It also created a huge interest in real-life jobs for a crime scene investigator, and salary research for forensic science positions has increased as well. All of a sudden, everyone is clamoring to collect and study DNA samples. Okay, there's more to being a crime scene investigator than that, but it's important to distinguish the glamour and excitement of the TV show from the reality of what it's really like to work in the field. Before switching your major to forensic science, keep in mind that crime scene investigators may have to visit gruesome crime scenes and work with some rather unsavory evidence. This may sound exciting to some, but a large part of being a crime scene investigator involves working in a lab, performing tests and analyzing samples. At times, forensic science technicians also give testimony in court cases. If you're debating whether to become a crime scene investigator, and salary is an important factor in your decision, PayScale's data on the salary of crime scene investigators can help you create a solid case.

Crime Scene Investigator - Salary Data

The chart above shows the average salary for a crime scene investigator ranges from around $40,000 to around $65,000 annually. The Salary of a Crime Scene Investigator will of course vary depending on years of experience as well as other factors, including location. Bigger cities generally offer higher salaries than smaller towns, but they also come with a higher cost of living. The average salary for a crime scene investigator might be higher in New York City than in other cities, but how far will that salary go given the city's high cost of living? According to the PayScale Cost of Living Calculator, the median Salary of Crime Scene Investigator in New York ranges from around $35,000 to around $54,000. Contrast that with the cost of housing in New York, which is over 200 percent higher than the national average. This is just one example of how careful research can provide a closer look at life as a crime scene investigator and salary potential in different areas. To research the salary of a crime scene investigator in other cities, use the calculator to compare cost of living data and the median Salary of Crime Scene Investigators across the United States.

To find out more about a Crime Scene Investigator Job Description and salaries for related careers, view the forensic science technician job description page.

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